MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22212, 15 March 1934, Page 11

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

AN EXTENSIVE AGENDA JHSCUSSION OF REMITS. (Peb United Pbess Association.) ■■';.'■ WELLINGTON", March 14. The Municipal Association Conference wag opened to-day by the Prime Minister, Mr Forbes. The conference has 50 remits for consideration, and commenced its work without delay. In the course of his opening address, Mr Forbes'-.referred to'the responsibility resting on local bodies of doing their full share in taking precautions against earthquake damage. He urged the desirability of not only exercising every care in future building operations, but of making the existing buildings as safe as possible. He said that when model by-laws were compiled they would be issued to local bodies with a request that they be embodied in general by-laws. He said that at the present time when there were so many unemployed, the opportunity was provided of having whatever work was necessary to make buildings 6afer done at a moderate cost. , A Timaru remit to have the Power Boards Act amended so as to give a supply authority the right to supply to any area that at any time may be placed withm its boundaries, on compensation beinc paid to the power board, was referred to the e»Butive for fuller consideration. SupporT was given to a Mount Albert remit for amending the Motor Vehicles Act ill, the direction of relieving local authorities from the obligation to erect signs at level crossings, the responsibility to rest on the railways. The Auckland desire to have the charge for electoral rolls increased to allow of the actual cost to be recouped was not sufficiently supported to be carried. .; A proposal that, in the interests of economy and efficiency, the Government should set up a National Fire Council to control fire fighting activities _in the Dominion was embodied in a remit from Morrinsville, but it drew strong opposition from the larger bodies. An amendment to refer it to the executive for further consideration was lost, and the remit was defeated. - • At 5 p.m. the conference was brought to a close after the" appointment of committees , representing various branches of the industry. These committees, several of which met this evening, are # to go further into the problems confronting the industry and will report to the Government. Further committee meetings are to be held to-morrow. Many of the delegates to the conference left Wellington this evening, and the remainder, except those engaged in committee work, will be leaving to-morrow.