COUNTY CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 15, 18 September 1913, Page 5

COUNTY CONFERENCE.

I KE STRATFORD REMITS.

COUNTY CHAIRMAN’S REPORT.

At the meeting of the County Council yesterday the chairman (Cr TV. Hathaway) reported on his experience at the recent Counties Conferenc.e

THE REMITS

The following remits were submitted to the conference by the Stratford County Council: That the Government he asked to amend the principle upon which subsidy on rates is paid, so that the amount paid may be graduated in proportion to the amount of general rate levied and collected. That the Government he asked to pay subsidies on all rates collected by local bodies with the exception of special rates for payment of interest on loans.

That the Government he urged to take off the duty and extra railway charges now imposed .on Australian

hardwood

That local authorities he empowered to nut a tax of £2 2s on all sluts.

That members of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards should ho elected hv the contributing local au-

thorities

That it is desirable in the interests of contributing authorities that before any expenditure is authorised in the erection of new hospital buildings or additions to existing buildings, that a conference of any such contributing authorities be held to consider ways and means and the necessity for such buildings’; and that all persons with good incomes should be mode to contribute directly to the upkeep of hospitals in proportion to their incomes.

That the Government be asked to license motor cars according to horsepower ; the money to form a fund ior subsidising local authorities in proportion to the length of metalled road controlled bv them.

SUBSIDY ON BATES. Mr Hathaway said the remit regarding general rates was carried after some discussion. It was stated at the conference that if the principle were adopted the. extra cost would be between eighty and ninety thousand pounds per annum, and the opinion

was expressed that the Government would not incur that expense, Cr. Were: Tfc is not much for the whole of the Dominion. Mr Hathaway said the Stratford County Council vvould receive about u thousand pounds if the scheme were adopted. There were Counties which levied general rates no to 3d, yylple. ( , others only levied a farthing. If the. ...... scheme came into force the Stratford County would do fairly well. Passing the resolution was one of the best things the conference had done. About nine-tenths of Counties did not levy separate rates, and therefore could not ho expected to support the motion, Cr. Walter: I am glad to hear that, t am not in.favor cf separate rates.

HOSPITAL MATTERS

Some of the delegates ,to the conference seemed to he glad that there was some* body to keep them up to Lho mark in the matter of putting up proper buildings. The motion was lost’. Mr Brown, chairman of ihe Taranaki County, had spoken in favor of the contributing bodies being consulted.

MOTOR CAR TRAFFIC

Some delegates wanted a tax of only five shillings per annum on ears, but this would be no good to Stratford County. Others desired that the tax should be given to the Hospital Boards. The Eltham delegate favored only an import duty and the Southland delegate suggested a tax on tyres. There were people who used their cars for pleasure and did not use the roads regularly, while there were others who used thier cars daily. Tf there was a tax on tyres it would fall on the man who used tire road most. The conference-finally decided to urge the Government to put some tax on motors to provide a subsidy for local bodies.

SHEEP-WORRYING

The remit regarding sluts was only seconded pro forma and was not carried. A delegate suggested that collie sluts be excluded. It was. also pointed out that although counties taxed sluts the townships in the counties might not take similar action, and the township sluts would trouble countv settlers.

AUSTRALIAN HARDWOOD. The motion regarding Australian hardwood timber was carried unanimously. HOSPITAL ELECTIONS. The conference decided to urge the Government to revert to the old system. EXPLANATORY NOTES. The President of the conference suggested that in future when remits were forwarded to the conference tho County sending thejm should append notes fully explanatory of the meaning and scope of the remits. DISCUSSION. Cr. Walter moved that the chairman he thanked for the account he had given of the work of the confer--once. Ho was disanpointed with some of the decisions, hut recognised that much good work had been done. He was particularly disappointed as regards the motor tax. Although they could not get everything they wanted, he was satisfied that the motor tax would come in time. Ho waj sorry tho motion regarding sluts had not been carried. Everyone who

Jjept sheep knew that nine-tenths of the trouble could be put down to loose gluts. ‘He also moved that the chaii,mau be voted £lO to cover his expenses in Wellington. The C&airman asked that the amount bo reduced to £5, which represented about his out-of-pocket ex-

penses. Cr. Walter consented to the reduction in deference to the chairman, though ho held that a farmer taken from his farm at such a time of the year should have some consideration. " Cr. Smith said he had much pleasure in seconding the motion. The Counties Conference was one of the most representative gatherings in the dominion and must do a great deal of t*ood to the whole of the counties. There w v as one anomaly in respect or plana for hospital buildings. The plans were prepared by big outside firms and the local architect was only 'allowed to act as a kind of dork of works.

ENGINEERS’ INSTITUTE. "

The Chairman said he had supported a motion affirming the principle of the formation of a County Engineers’ Institute, but was now in doubt whether he had acted rightly. He thought he had been deceived as regards the character of members. He bad thought that all members were qualified men, but he now believed the case to be otherwise. However, the movement had not taken definite form . . ■ ■ The motions were carried.