LOCAL GOVERNMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8181, 24 July 1912, Page 1

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

NEXT WEEK’S CONFERENCE

VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS. Nearly all the boroughs, cities, and small towns of tho Dominion will be represented at the twelfth annual conference of tho Municipal Association, which opens at the Town , Hall on Monday next. The order paper was issued by, the secretary (Mr T. F. Martin) yesterday. The conference will be presided over by the Mayor (Mr D. McLaren). No fewer than one hundred and four remits have been received for discussion, and these cover a very wide field of local government enterprise, besides proposing in many respects liberal extensions of the functions of local authorities. In their present form the matters are simply put forward for discussion, but in each instance the aspiration of the movers is to have the various principles embodied in legislative enactments. A suggestion by Grey Lynn is to tax all ticket admission to places of amusement, the tax to form part of a fund for maintenance of and relief of distress.

Abolition of licensing committees, their functions and duties, is urged by Gisborne, with transference _of suen powers to the local authority. New Plymouth suggests an increase in license fees for hotels, since in their opinion such fees are not commensurate with the value of the monopoly created by the granting of the licenses. Voting at local elections in exactly tho same manner, as at general elections for the House of Representatives is urged by Palmerston North. Various suggestions are put forward for amendments to the Local Bodies’ Loans Act, their principal object being to simplify and facilitate financial transactions.

Nine remits deal with the regulation of motor traffic. Drivers should bo over sixteen years of age (Palmerston) and all drivers, male or female, should have a certificate of competency (Christchurch). Others suggest regulations as to speed of motor-cars. A Wellington remit urges that in future the Christian names in full, as well as surnames, be inserted in the electors’ roll. Riverton desires that each person with residential qualification should have one vote, and ratepayers or freeholders two votes. Four local bodies agree that if the present mode of electing 'the Mayor is continued, his'term of office,should be extended to two years, so, as to come into -line with that, of councillors. Wellington and Mnsterton suggest that councils elect, a Mayor from-their own number.

Palmerston suggests that mayors' honoraria be exempt from income tax, sinnee, they are “ chiefly used for purposes outside personal requirements ” ; also that councils' be empowered to pay bands up to £IOO a year for music in pleasure grounds gardens, libraries, museums, and otner places for public recreation.

Power to,compel tho removal of useless and unsightly fences, buildings, hoardings, etc., is advocated by Lyttelton, and to make regulations for cinematograph shows by Wellington. Abolition of tho exemption • from rates enjoyed by Government buildings is advocated by Wellington. Several important suggestions are made in regard to borough . revaluations. New Brighton urges that the Valuation l>epartment make arrangements for valuations of boroughs, to be made at regular intervals of not more than three years. It is suggested by Karori that no owner of property shall be allowed a revaluation of his property without the consent of the local authority, except when- a new revaluation of the whole district is-made. Hastings asks that a local authority be enabled to require the Valuer-Gene-ral to make a new valuation of any property dr properties appearing on the district valuation roll, without being put to the expense of having the whole district revalued.