MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19558, 10 February 1927, Page 12

MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OPENS, GATHERING AT PALMERSTON. HUNDRED DELEGATES PRESENT. [BY TELEGRAM.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PALMERSTON NORTH. Wednesday. The nineteenth annual conference of the Municipal Association opened hero this morning, Mr. Nathan. Mayor of Palmerston North, who is president of the association, presiding. One hundred dogates are attending. Tho chairman voiced appreciation of tho way in which the Ministers had always met the executive. He said that, while there might be some disappointment that remits carried at past conferences had not yet received the approval of the Government, ho wanted tho delegates to understand the association had received consideration from the Government, and there had always been demonstrated some good reason why any particular remit had not been passed into law. Remits carried were that provision he made for the payment of loan-poll expenses out of the loan; that the Local Bodies Loans Act be amended to enable such bodies to invest unexpended balances, loans and loan moneys not immediately required on deposit with any banking institution or institution in which trustees invest, trust moneys; that tie Local Bodies Loans Act bo amended by increasing tho rata of interest in respect to conversion debentures from 5 to 6 per cent:.

Further remits to bo carried were that applications for auctioneers' licences bp accompanied by two testimonials as to applicant's character and fitness; that tho local authority, make any necessary inquiries; that a licence he granted unless a majority—instead of two-fifths—of tho members bo present, and voting, decide that the. applicant bo not a fit person. Regarding tho Power Boards Act, a remit was carried urging that section 85 be amended so that electric power boards, before supplying power direct to consumers within the area of supply of any licenceo, must first obtain the consent, of the licenceo whether the area of supply bo in the inner or tho outer area of the power board district;

A remit was carried that the Fire Brigades Act be amended so that, of the residue of the amount estimated of the annual expenditure after necessary deductions, one-quarter be paid by the contributing local authority, and threequarters by the insurance companies; also that protection under section 52, damage by brigade deemed damage by fire within tho meaning of the fire policy, be extended to cover all cases where a brigade attends fires outside the boundaries of the firft district. Remits were also carried urging compulsion on tho part of local bodies to establish superannuation funds for employees. USE OF COAT OF ARMS. AUCKLAND REMIT CARRIED [bx telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT.3 PALMERSTON NORTH. Wednesday. At the Municipal Association's .conference to-day, on behalf of Auckland, Mr, G. Baildon, Mayor of Auckland, moved That the Government bo asked to amend the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, so that any city or borough in the Dominion may adopt a coat of arms, and that provision be made for registration of same by the registrar of patents, trade marks and designs, making it unlawful for airy person to uso such coat of arms without the sanction of tho local authority concerned.

Further, that where armorial bearings have been granted any city or borough by the College of Arms, it shall also bo unlawful (or any person to use samo without consent o! the local authority concerned.

Mr. Baildon said tho Auckland City Council had been advised that there was at present no method by which it could prevent unauthorised persons from using its coat of arms, thi& notwithstanding that the city's armorial bearings, together with supporters in form of kiwis, were granted to the city m 1913 by tho College of Arms, which was a body incorporated by Royal Charter fn 1555 for the purpose of exercising tho Crown's right of granting arms. The remit was agreed to.

LOCAL BODY CONTRACTS,

POSITION OF OFFICERS,

{BY TELEGRAPH. —QWU COIUJXSPONDWT. I

PALMEKSTON NORTH, Wednesday.

Soma discussion took place at the conference of the Municipal Assoication today on the subject of the disqualification of members of local bodies through payments made or incurred to them by bodies at which they were members. At present the law provides that no person shall hold office on a locs 1 body who is concerned or interested (with certain reservations) in any contract. made by the local body if payment made or to be made by the local body in respect of any such contract osee«ds £5, in the case of a single contract, or £lO in tha financial yetr in the case of two or more contracts.

The matter was raised by the Feuding Borough Council which, in a remit, asked that legislative sanction b« sought for, raising the amounts to £23 and £SO respectively. In moving to that effect Mr. W, E. Carthew, Mayor of FeUding, said the suggested increases would not be likely tn lead to dishonest practice. The remit was seconded on behalf of the Dargaville Borough Council. Mr. C. P. Agar, on behalf of the Chmtchurch City Council, opposed the proposal, saying that if a man *« not prepared to sacrifice a possible £25 worth of .business with a public body, he ahoalo nod'he a member ol it, Mr. C. P Brown fWanganu:} s-jid tls* present restriction k«pt good men oS public bodies Mr. J. K. Archer, Mayor of Crutstehuroh. said that if a man wasted t» trade with a local body he should not bo a member of it. Mr. A. J. McCurdy, Mayer of Upper TTutt. ga:d it was the smaller towns which suffered by the present restrictions. The motion was carried by a threes so two majority. Another remit bearing on the same stu • iect moved '■ n behalf of Hawera, * s 1 a' follows" That the Government again he ssproached relative to the modification of the disqtiaiiifc&tion clause reUtsag ohHsattons already performed.." Sneaking in soppori thereof. Mr. £• A. Pscev. Mayor of Hawern, eaid the matter related to obligations incurred previses to a man becoming a member of a Jfleal bodv. In his own case the Hawer* Borough Council incurred an ofciigatiea to htm t»'Anril and in the following M»*< when elected to office, he had been d«« barred from- accenting payment C&nfer#c& reafßm»d the principle « the remit.