LOCAL BODIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22968, 21 February 1938, Page 15

LOCAL BODIES

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE REMITS FOR DISCUSSION MEETING AT NEW PLYMOUTH Remits from local authorities throughout the Dominion, containing suggestions regarding all phases of municipal administration, will he considered at the 28th conference of, delegates to tho Municipal Association, which will open in Now Plymouth on March 1 and continue until March 3. The Auckland Transport Board's remit suggests that in each borough where there is a tramway undertaking that maintains a portion of tho streets the undertaking shall feceivo a share of tho petrol tax, in proportion to tho area of streets it maintains, provided that the shares of tramway undertakings shall not bo allocated from tho amount at present paid to the boroughs. [ A footnote to the remit explains that tho board's desire to receive a portion of the petrol tax is not meant in any respect to affect that percentage of the tax at present allocated to boroughs. Penalty on Rates The standardisation committee suggests that tho penalty on rates should be imposed after the expiration of three months and 14 days, instead of after six months and 14 days, as at present, and that the rato of penalty be fixed at 5 per cent instead of 10 per cent. This, it is contended, would be beneficial to ratepayers and local bodies alike, and possibly there would be no necessity for allowing a discount for prompt payment. The amendment of the Local Authorities (Members' Contracts) Act, 1934, which covers the business dealings of local authority members with tho local authority, is also suggested by the standardisation committee. At present any member of an authority mhy not receive more than £lO in payment for any ono contract from the authority, : or £25 altogether in one financial year, except in a special case where the I Audit Office may authorise the payment of an amount not exceeding in , the aggregate £SO in a financial year. It is pointed out that the Audit Office , is at present considered a sufficient safe- ! guard up to £SO, and it is therefore [ considered that it could quite well be , left to the Audit Office in respect of t any amount. The committee therefore suggests that tho limit of £SO bo removed. 1 Lending Funds The Mount Albert Borough Council suggests that the use of credit balances i in the district funds, for lending to . other councils, and thus earning somei thing for the relief of ratepayers, ' should be made possible without the ! consent of the Governor-General in Council. It is pointed out that the ! necessity for such consent can some--1 times not be obtained until after the ' opportunity for lending the money has | passed. ' Contending that local bodies operat- • ing motor omnibus services should not r be placed in a less favourable position ; than the State or other proprietors, 1 the Dunedin City Council suggests that 1 they should be empowered to operate • services both within the borough and ■ to and from any place outside it. The desirability of raising the maxi--1 mum amount of a May or' s_hon or arinm ' from the present limit of £SOO .to £750, 5 on the grounds that the value of money • has fallen to approximately half what I it was when the limit was fixed, will 1 be considered by the conference, at the - request of tlio Under-Secretary of Jn- ■ ternal Affairs. ! Voting Papers

As it considers that the present system of printing voting papers with the names of candidates for local body elections in alphabetical order gives a decided advantage to those whose names commence with an early letter of the alphabet, the "Wellington City Council suggests that steps be taken to obtain legislation authorising the printing of the papers in such a manner that an equal number of voting papers will have the name of each candidate in turn at the top of the list. In view of what it terms the alarming increase in the consumption of alcoholic drink being consumed in the vicinity of public halls, and the accompanying moral evils, the Otautau Town Board asks that the Government be urged to introduce legislation to combat the evil.