MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18624, 4 August 1922, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

LOCAL BODIES’ PRIVILEGES. CPs* United Paws AbhootitionJ WELLINGTON, August 3. A proposal that local bodies should Ire flee to make their own charges for the use of recreation grounds was discussed at tho meeting of the Municipal Association of New Zealand to-day. A remit on the question come from Waimate. Some delegates considered that the charge should be greater than one shilling, but not more than two shillings. Mr 11. S. W. King (Dovonport); Is this not introducing tho principle of making profits from municipal reserves! Mr O. N. C. Pragnoll (Mastorton) remarked that ihe recent match between the All Blacks and Wairarapa would have been played at Masterton had there been sufficient power to make a greater charge for admission than one shilling. The match was taken to Carterton, and a profit of £3OO was piadc, whereas if the game had trkon place at Masterton the profit would have been between £SOO and £6oo.—lt was decided to ask the Government to fix a maximum charge, which might, be made at one' shilling, and to see whether authority could not be given to charge admission to beaches. 1

A remit from Christchurch—“ That four years be allowed for the collection of rates” —was moved, by Dr Thacker, and carried. It. was stated that some boroughs had been absorbed into the cities, and had large sums owing to them loft uncollected for over two years, which could not now be collected.

Tie Association _ approved of the nr in ri pie of (ho main highways legislation being placed on tho Statute Book, and endorsed a resolution of last conference providing that local bodies should be allowed (o_ lake nortion of motor taxation to maintain highways passing within their own boundaries.

The suggested new provision in the I .oral Bodies’ Finance Act to enable moneys to be borrowed for the relief of unemployment was also approved, the provision to expire on December 51, 1925.