MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14283, 4 August 1908, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

TENTII ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (Per UNiTKn Press Association".) WELLINGTON, August 3. Tho tenth annual conference of tho Municipal Association was opened to-day, the' Hon. T. W. Hislop (Mayor of Wellington) presiding. The Chairman, in welcoming the delegates, said that the conference had not receivecl When encouragement iif' the past,' but it was hoped that its deliberations in future would have gerater weight with the Government. It was resolved that the conference consider tho advisabloness of local bodies establishing u joint accident fund; also that, in compiling the district electors' list of a ' borough divided into wards, instead of pro- ' viding separate . lists for each ward the , names of electors in all wards shall bo incorporated in (ho combined lists, each list to contain separate columns showuig in which ward each elector is entitled to vole. _■ ■ A motion wra proposed extending: the municipal franchise to _ all adult persons, in so far as tho eleotions are coneorncd. The'movor explained that under the pre- ■ sent taw/-half a dozen people could get registration' if they had a, lease of a single living room. This, it was contended, was ] unfair to people who wero paying heavier ' sums for board'and ledjing, and who'were • ineligible to vote. The motion was lost bv ' 26 votes to 24. . i _ A proposal to prevent plumping at muni- ' cipal elections was thrown out ou tho voices. ' ■ A motion- that tho term of office of « Mayor bo two years was also rojected. ' It was further decided: — "That' the district electors' rolls ■ of ! boroughs should bo the electoral rolls used at all elections and <polls by, local : ties within boroughs;. "Thatall 'such elections and-polls should bo mider'.'rho provisions of the Lccal Elections Act';'. • ; '. ' . ' : " Provision should also be made to'-adapt : lira dist-rictVoleotors' roMfor use at Draiuago Board, Tramway Board, River Board, or otliorl local oleetions; ' ( "For the puVpose of-any poll under the local bodies , Loans Act. ami of any other statute relating to flic raising of loans affecting the ratepayers, tho council shall be cinpowerod to eliminate from the rolls the names of the electors who do not possess, the ratepayers' qualification referred to in tho statute authorising'the raising of tho loan." "That Town Boards* bo admitted to membership of tho association." "That to secure, continuity of business the act be amended in the direction of making the period of office for .councillors threo years, with an annual retirement of one-third of' the number of councillors.V "That till"rates: for the current year, whether .demanded' or not. and all arrears of rates and other due in respect of any property must be paid before the transfer of such property: can. bo' noted in the rate book." . "That adjacent municipalities or any adjoining local bodies be compelled to bear half'the cost of lighting a boundary road in similar terms to these, relating to construction and- maintenance of roads," "That borough councils "bo given power to .collect half cost of future,.: permanent footpath work'from adjdjning owners,- irrespective of past work' having been done without charge, such charge, however, not to be recoverable if owners huve perviously paid proportion of cost of past works of a similai'.naturo." ;■'-, I .' "That it shall be legal' for a borough council to let from year to vear unused streets within a borough ■ which are not required for publio traffic for the time being." "That (tho largest city or borough' amongst adjoining local bodies shall bo tho licensing and controlling authority for tho collection of fees under, heavy traffic bylaws, and that the fees collected be apportioned by conference of tho local authoritis affected, failing which'-the 'matter be sottlod by a magistrate.'';,•• "That municipal corpdrations be given legal power to sell coal' to burgesses and others." . ; , " That dwelling houses built contrary to \ the • provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 'rotating to open space,', and'.not only lodging houses so .built, should be liable to alteration if the same can bo altered so as to conform with -the law, or if not to demolition ds.insanitary build-- > n fi s -" :; >.. ;• : i ■.::, .;; ".Tliattlte". apportioning o|- the cost, of .maintaining - hospitals for/ consumptives • in population (instead of.iu proportion'to'.the rateable 'valuers;'wrong." '*' "That May 2+ be honoured throughout the Dominion as Emnire Day, ; and ' declared a public holiday; and' that June 3 be.not kept as a holiday." -".That Borough Councils be given ox-, press Legislative authority for making by-laws to provide that no premises be used as dining or supper rooms or boarding, houses, unless licensed by the council." "That the legal definition of 'hawker' or 'pedlar* be obtained: that powers bo given to' Borough Councils to fix a license fee for tho sa.mo, and that steps be taken to prevent 'auctioneers travelling from place to place to-dispose of goods in competition with resident shopkeepers." "That power be given to municipalities to' make by-laws regulating' or prohibiting the hawking or peddling in or upon streets." ' "That a universal standard for the examination of plumbers and (electrical wiremen be adopted to facilitate the issue of licenses to competent workmen by local bodies." ' , ■ ."That 'The Municipal Corporation Act Amendment Act, 1906,': b? amended to per- : mhv of-' boroughs ' by a navigoblo river or 1 harbour being excluded from the ; ; five inile, radius in respect of vehicle and drivers' licenses. _ so that they shall have the ex- ' elusive Tight .to issue licenses within their boundaries." "That the charges on land for work done by a- corporation be registered (for the protection of ptircliaserß) under the Deeds Registration and Land Transfer Acts." 5 ' I

Tho conference resolved that tho Hospital ami Charitabb Institution Bill oiroulatcd by tho Government he strongly opposed on tho ground that in reducing tho subsidy by one-half tho Government' will ho unduly taxins tho ratepayers.