MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18661, 22 March 1935, Page 10

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE REMITS CONSIDERED fPer Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. At the annual conference of the New Zealand Municipal Association to-day, the Mayor of Christcnurcli, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., who presided, pent a telegram, at the unanimous request of the conference, as a protest to the Government against the non-payment of rates by Government departments concerned with mortgage lands of which the department had taken possession. The conference declared that local bodies were the victims of a grave injustice, of which they should be relieved. Telegrams were sent to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Leader of the Opposition. It was decided that representations should be made to the Government asking for stricter control of Alsatian dogs, or for legislation forbidding them being kept iu the Dominion. HEALTH INSURANCE.

Tihe principal of a national scheme of health insurance was approved by the conference. Details of the scheme were not discussed, because of representations that the Hospital Boards Association had a scheme under consideration, and' was seeking support for it.

A'suggestion that municipal and county elections should be held on the same day, and that day should he the second Wednesday in May biennially, was approved. The conference refused to adopt a suggestion that the 'Government should make a rebate to all ratepayers, .as had been done to county ratepayers on two occasions. A remit was passed, however, urging the Government, when considering any future relief to county ratepayers, to take into consideration the position of ratepayers in the cities, boroughs and town districts. Remits urging the setting up of a. Royal Commission to inquire into all local 'body administration were carried after a brief discussion. It was argued that municipalities, as well as ruml local bodies, should lie within the sphere of the inquiry. EA'RTIIQUAKE INSURANCE

A scheme for the provision of earthquake insurance by a national scheme, such as was submitted in Mr Barnard's bill of last year, was approved. .Several delegates spoke in support of a remit declaring thai (he conference viewed with alarm the number of advertising hoardings throughout the countryside, and suggesting 1 hat. all local bodies frame by-laws restricting the erection of them.

it .Was unanimously decided that the 'Government should be requested to make it compulsory for all push bicycles to have the rear mudguard painted with aluminium or other luminous paint. The following remit was carried: "That the Government be requested to apply the tuberculin test periodically to ,all cows producing milk for city and town consumption."