MANY ALTERATIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17945, 24 November 1932, Page 7

MANY ALTERATIONS

MUNICIPAL LAWS v -■. *' •

, TRIENNIAL ELECTIONS

new powers for councils

(Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this .day

Triennial, in place of biennial, municipal elections are provided for 111 amending clauses of the Municipal Corporations Bill, a measure of 394 sections, a majority of which are of a consolidating nature, which was mtioduced into the House of Representatives last night by Governor-Generals HlesAs explained by the Minister of Internal Affairs, ■ the Hon. A. Hamilton, 20 new clauses in the bill deal wit. alterations which have been asked by the Municipal Association, the itself bein" -a consolidation and verbal So? of the Municipal Corpora ions Act, 1920, and amendments made sinethat date. The alterations could be classed under three headings, name!}, draughting, calculated to improve the language and arrangement of tho piesent law, minor amendments designed to remedy defects and generally improve the legislation, and substantial majoi alterations to the law. Dealing with the proposed alterations of the law, the Minister said it was proposed that after 1935, municipal * cc tions should be held every three years. The next general election of councillors is to take place on the hrst Wednesday in May, 1933, and the next election will be held on the same day in 1900. Thereafter an election is to be held cn the first Wednesday in May in every third year. .. Provision is also made for the tilling of vacancies by giving councils ppw;r to fill such vacancies as occur witlnn 12 months preceding a general election. PURGING THE ROLLS The names of non-voting residentials would be omitted from the rolls after elections. . , Power would be given councjls to refund a portion of the sanitation charges where a service was discontinued. There would t»e a clearer dividing lino between the various accounts kept by councils, who would be empowered also t<* (establish I'enewal or replacement funds other than in respect of trading undertakings, and re-transfer to'trading undertaking accounts moneys previously transferred to general accounts. The bill also deals with the erection of buildings such as tea kiosks on municipal reserves and the expenditure of funds on domains, etc. The concession given to owners of unoccupied dwellings in tho payment of half the rates is not to apply to ciiarges for water supplied through a meter. In cases in which an amalgamation of adjoining boroughs is proposed, the Governor-General may, in cases where there is a difference of opinion, appoint a- commission consisting of a magistrate, the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district, and the district valuer, to inquire where the proposed united borough should be constituted. In the event of the report being favorable, the Governor-General may issue a proclamation uniting these several boroughs. Councils [are authorised to make provision in any street for a safety area for pedestrians and to plant trees on any street. The list of prohibitions placed on the use of public cycle tracks is extended to include horses, cows, and other beasts. SEWERAGE PROVISIONS The Compensation payable io the owner of a property where the building line has been set back is limited to the difference in the value of the land or building before the building line was set back, and the value of the remainder aftet such action had been taken. In cases in which councils undertake the laying of private drains, it is provided that the council may apportion the total cost between the owners affected. Councils also have the right to compel the owners of private drains to convey the discharge into the sea. Bower is given to councils to make advances to owners of premises to enable them to connect their premises with the drainage system of boroughs. Repayments may be made in one amount, or by instalments over a number of years, and the maximum rate of interest to be charged is fixed at 6 per cent, per annum. These charges stand in the same category as rates for the purposes of collection. Except with the express permission of harbor boards, councils are debarred from arranging for the discharge of sewage matter into harbors. Flood protective works may be erected by _ councils outside borough boundaries if the property of tho corporation is likely to be endangered. Before water may bo supplied to

persons outside a borough, tho consent of tho local authority of tho district in which tho supply is given must be obtained. This is also applicable in tho case of gas and electricity supplies. ADVANCES TO RESIDENTS Powers of arrest at present possessed by volunteer lire police are restricted to occasions on which they aro engaged at a fire. A clause in the original Act giving officers of a council the right to enter on land or buildings for an inspection of gas fittings lias been extended to provide that in any case of emergency involving possible danger to lil'o or property from any suspected escape of gas an officer may make an entry at any hour of tho day on any day of tho week. Advances may be made by councils Iq occupiers of premises for tho installation of gas or electricity, and similar provisions aro made for repayment as in the case of drainage. Under tho provisions of tho bid, councils may make grants of money or leases of land to public bodies formed for the object of conserving the health of the community, or attending the sick or injured, and generally for any purpose of recreation, enjoyment-, health, education, or instruction, or of improving or developing public amenities. Tho provisions in respect to advances to workers by municipalities are extended. Local bodies may now advance money for the purchase of dwellings which already have been erected. After 10 per cent, of the principal owing by the worker ha-s been repaid, the council and the worker may enter into a new agreement for the repayment of the balance. Provision is made for the capitalisation of arrears of interest, which aro to be treated as outstanding principal. CONTROL OF HOARDINGS Councils are empowered to expend a portion of mining and goldfields revenue to encourage prospecting either within or outside the borough. A provision in the original Act empowering councils to execute works for which tho owners and occupiers have defaulted is extended to provide that sums recovered by the council may be classified as portions of rates due. Extensions arc made in the powers of councils to make by-laws. The most important of these refers to the licensing and regulation of vehicles plying for hire for the carriage of passengers or goods, and limiting the number of licenses and limiting and regulating the daily hours of work of drivers of licensed vehicles. In explaining this provision to the House the Minister said the object was to bring taxi-cabs under the control of municipalities. The by-laws are to be subject to the provisions of Acts dealing with the question of transport. Power is also given to make by-laws regulating the contf'olling, or prohibiting the erection of hoardings or other .structures for the display of advertisements. Municipalities may also prescribe scales of annual fees for hoardings, and may require disused hoardings to be removed. Regulations may also be made controlling the storage of goods of an inflammable nature.