COUNTIES’ CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4411, 18 July 1901, Page 6

COUNTIES’ CONFERENCE

The Conference resumed yesterday at 10 a.in. The president (Mr F. A. Majendie) was in the chair. Discussion of Mr Hammond’s motion, “ That all read districts be abolished apd the counties reorganised,” was continued Mr F. W. Lang,.M H R., said the resolution was too sweeping. In many parts of the colony road hoards had dene good werk, and it would inflict a great hardship upon many ratepayers if road districts w'erc abolished, and some form of government set up which they did non approve. He moved as an amendment, “ That it be an instruction to the committee of tip© Conference to draft a clause for insertion in the Counties Bill empowering ratepayers of a county to decide by a poll which form of government they desired.” Mr Massey, M.H.R., favoured the amendment as offering the b-st solution of the question.

Mr L. Northoroft (Westland) thought that where road boards were doing satisfactory work They should not be disturbed.

Mr A. W. Jull (Waipawa) pointed out that thor 0 wore eighty-seven county councils and 230 road districts in the colony. H* failed to see any necessity to pursue the amendment. Those who supported it appeared to desire to have control by one body. They could achieve that object by reducing the size and giving greater facilities for the establishment of new counties.

Mr J. C. Wilson (Manawatu) said the whole question was governed by the configuration of the country, and he supported the amendment, believing that it would giv e all that was required. In further discussion it was contended by several delegates that the abolition of road boards in certain parts of the country would do away with friction be-' tween county counoils and lessen the cost to the ratepayers under a dual system of administration.

Mr S. W. Luxford (Manawatu) asked that a motion standing in his name, “That in districts where the Counties Act, 1886, is suspended all the road, boards that pay a subscription to the Counties’ Association be entitled to vote at the conference of such association.” be put to the Conference before coming to a decision on the question under discussion.

The president ruled that it would be out of order to do as Mr Luxford suggested. The original motion (ivir Hammond’s) being put and lost, Mr Lang’s amendment was carried on the vo : ces.

Further provisions of the Counties Bill were then considered. In, division 2, part 4, of the Bill, dealing with electors, elections, and polls, Mr CockburnHood (Masterton) moved, “ That no person b® entitled to have his name entered on the electoral list unless ho is a ratepayer.”

Mr Ncrthcroft moved as an amendment, “ That the proposed changes in qualification for electors b e struck out, and that the existing qualifications under the Counties Act, 1886, be retained.” This amendment was accepted by Mr Cockburn-Hood, and carried unanimously. On Mr Northcroft’s motion it was resolved +o recommend that the provisions of the Counties Act, 1886, relating- to electoral rolls and those entitled to appear thereon, be re-enacted in the Counties Bill.

A proposal by Mr J. Allen, in the direction of penalising ratepayers in arrear with their rates by taking away their right to vote, created some discussion. It was contended that it was manifestly unfair that those ratepayers who paid their rates should have to bear a burden because there were many defaulters. It was eventually resolved on MrNorthcroft’s motion, “That ratepayers on the defaulters’ list be entitled to vote on production of a receipt for all rates.” A number of clauses in' the Bill relating to elections and polls were referred to a committee together with suggestions thereon from the_ Westland and Masterton County Councils. Clause 38, fixing £4OO as the maximum annual allowance for chairmen of county councils, brought half-a-dozen dele, gates to their feet with amendments, the result being that the amount proposed was reduced to £IOO. In the section dealing with qualification and election of councillors, Mr Cockburn-Hood moved, “That in fixing the number of Councillors of ridings, due regard shall bo had to ratable value and the number of electors, instead of ‘population’ as proposed in the Bill.” The motion was carried. A clause defining persons who are disqualified from standing for election as Councillors wa s amended so as to exempt persons concerned in contracts for the supply of gravel and stone for road work purposes. It was recommended on the motion of Mr B. Smith (Pahiatua) that the first general election of the whole of the members of every Council should be held on the first Wednesday in May, 1903 instead of 1902 as proposed in the Bill.

The following delegates were apnointed a committee to consider and report on the recommendations made by the Conference in regard to the Counties Bill, viz. -i, —North Island —Messrs A. E.

Jull (Waipawa), H. Okey (Taranaki). C. E. Cockburn-Hood (Masterton), H. Hammond (Liobson) and .1. Fisher (Waikato). South Island—Messrs D. Sutherland (Waitaki), L. W. Raymond (Southland), G. H. McHaffie (Selwim), J. Law (Road Districts) and L. Northcroft (Westland). It was resolved on Mr J. W. Marshall’s motion "That tnis Conference would prefer that if town districts are abolished a s seif-governing bodies, that the counties shall have power on petition to define a township district; and the Council shall have the power to delegate tlio management or such district to a committee of live members t° be elected by the ratepayers.” Clauses relating to special meetings, special orders, and regulations were passed withoutjuaterial alteration. Barts 9 and 10 of the Bill relating to oustings from office, appointments or officers, and part 11, having reference to road districts were passed without alteration. “On reaching part 12, relating to finance, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr G. Ross (Whangarei), to recommend the inclusion of the following new clause, viz. ; ‘-That one-half of the proceeds of the sale of standing timber on Crown lands shall be paid to the County Coup cils whore such Crown land is situated. A motion by Mr S. W. Luxford (Manawatu), that the county funds should receive the fees paid for abattoirs and slaughterhouse licenses, was negatived. In the course 'of the discussion several delegates expressed the opinion that the county functs should receive a proportion of the fees paid for auctioneers’ licenses, seeing that there was considerable wear and tear on the county roads caused by stock driving to and from auction sales. In part 12, in reference to the annual Government subsidy, Mr J. Mackay (Stratford) said that according to his reading of th© Counties Bill the separate rate had vanished altogether. The Government intended how to pay a sub sidy only upon the three farthings gen e . ral rate. They had been promised by the Premier a subsidy on a population basis, but when they came- to look into the Bill this was not given them, and instead of their having an assured fi nance their position was a great deal worse than ever. Ho would like to see a graduating subsidy to suit the different ’circumstances of local bodies.

A motion by Mr D. Sutherland (Wai taki). to insert the words “'and separate rates” into clause 78 of the Bill after the words "in respect of its general . . . ” was passed as being sufficient to meet the requirement spoken of by Mr Mackay and others. As a result of the insertion of the aforesaid words a proviso to clause 78 was struck out. , Mr J. G. Wilson (Manawatu) feared that the conference would only retard the progress of the Bill if they cut the proposed subsidies about in the manner some delegates seemed to desire. After various propositions and sug gestious, Mr Wilson moved, ‘‘That this conference would earnestly request the Government to favourably consider the question of further subsidies to local bodies, and to especially give consideration to those counties in which there are no railways; and that it should be distributed so that the counties rating themselves most should receive the largest subsidy. Mr It. Smith (Pahiatua) urged that the reference to the railway in Mr Wil son’s motion should bo struck out. This was agreed to by the mover, and the motion was carried.

A number of clauses concerning rating matters having been dealt with, the conference (at 5.30) adjourned till 10 a.ra- to day.