LOCAL BODIES’ NEEDS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12168, 19 June 1925, Page 8

LOCAL BODIES’ NEEDS

LEGISLATION REQUESTED ALLOWANCES TO FIRE BOARDS ANOMALIES POINTED OUT In the course of an interview with the Hon. R. F. Bollard (Minister for Internal Affairs) yesterday afternoon, the executive of the New Zealand Municipal Association put before the Minister the principal remits passed at the recent Municipal Association’s conference. Those present were Messrs H. L. Tapley (Mayor of Dunedin), J. K. Archer (Mayor of Christchurch), C. J. B. Norwood (Mayor of Wellington), J. Jordan (Masterton), S. Donaldson' (.Newmarket), F. J. Nathan (Palmerston North), W. Locke (Nelson), and A. Bain (Invercargill). With the Minister was Mr'6. P. Newton (Undersecretary for Internal Affaire). Mr Tapley said that one of the most important remits was that urging that the Government should increase its contributions to the fire boards throughout the Dominion, making its contributions in proportion to the value of the buildings protected by the several boards. At present the Government contributed only a maximum of £2OO a year, even in cities where it had very valuable buildings. * Mr Nathan pointed out that in small boroughs the Government contribution was £SO only, and in Palmerston North it was £IOO only, whereas the borough contributed £I2OO to £ISOO. EXPENSES OF LOANS Mr Tapley added that the local authorities wished to havo the law amended, so that the expenses of a successful loan poll could be paid out of the loan. The Minister promised to submit the matter to tho Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nosworthy). Legislation was also desired, stated Mr Tapley, to enable absent voters to vote at local elections, the same as at Parliamentary elections; and ft was asked- that freeholders or ratepayers accidentally omitted from ,the roll should be allowed to vote on a certificate from tho Town Clerk. It was pointed out that the Main Highways Board was empowered to subsidise boroughs of not more thpn 6000 inhabitants for the construction of continuations of main highways through their areas; and it was urged that similar subsidies should be made compulsory in the case of larger boroughs and cities. The larger towns had a larger amount of reading to do. The Minister said that the matter was one for the Minister for Public Works, and he would pass on to him their representations. REPRESENTATION ON BOARD With reference to the remit asking that boroughs should he represented on tho Main Highways Board, the Minis-r ter said that he was afraid it would mean a very large board. Mr Tapley suggested that the smaller boroughs could be grouped to- •

gether, with only one representative for each group. The Minister promised to look into the matter. Legislation was asked for increasing to £3O, instead of £lO, the amount that a member could sell to a local bpdy without being unseated; also legislation to provide that all a local body’s department banking accounts should bo treated as one account, sot ting the credit balance in one account or on a loan against the debit balances in other accounts. The Minister: I tried that last year, but the bank would not agree; they said they need not accept the accounts. Mr Archer stated that Christchurch had had £70,000 of loan money lying in the bank for a considerable period, but the batik would neither give them a penny in interest nor allow them to balance the. amount against their debits on which they paid 7 per cent. This meant that they paid some 11 per cent, on the money. Could not legislation ho passed enabling them to put such moneys in the Post Office Savings Bank? It was urged also that soldier setters’ land which had reverted to the Crown ought not to be exempt from rates. The Minister: Do vou expect the Government to pass that? (Laughter). OTHER REQUESTS Other remits were —that from the Upper Hutt in favour of Town Board elections being held on the same day as ordinary municipal elections; legislation that the consent of the local authorities should be required for all street collections: that all electricwire men should be licensed; that the limit of expenses- of delegates to the Municipal Conference be increased from £4O to £IOO, or to “reasonable and actual expenses,” and should apply to Town Boards; and the deputy Mayor should be appointed for two years, instead of every time a Mayor went away The Minister promised to give the various remits careful consideration in consultation with the officers of his department.