MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13795, 16 June 1915, Page 7

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

[ United 'Press A ssocution. ]

■■■... Wellington,' June 15. Tho Mayor of Wellington .presided over a meeting of the Legislative and Executive Coramititeo of.the Municipal Association of New Zealand at the "Town-Hall this'afternoon.

An inquiry was received from a corporation as to the power to make sallary and wage payments to employees who have 'enlisted.

The secret arv had replied that lie thought it was necessary to have legal sanction for such a course. He was instructed to prepare a draft of legislation to be submitted to the, Government, making such action legal* Mr Luke remarked that where an omploj'ee of the Wellington CityCoiuieil was getting less on actiive service than in the corporation employ, the difference was made up by tho council. The Minister for Internal Affairs wrote^ asking for the opinion of the committee on tho proposal for the remission of nates du-a by those absent. on active service.

It was pointed out that as the law stood the property of a ratepayer might bo confiscated while he< was at the front.

A member of tho committee remarked that a council could remit rates in a case of extreme jjovertj7.

The secretary was instructed to prepare legislation allowing rates to bo remitted or their collection postponed o;rer two years without losing right of collection.

The committee agreed that power should bo given to councils to establish ;heir own accident" funds, to prohibit the importation into a district of secondhand timber, and to purchase land on terms. Remits to this effect had been cai::j.d at the 1914 conference.

A resolution Avas carried in favour of Government departments, such as the Tourist Department, the Insurance Department, the Public Trust Office, and the Stat-e. Coal Department, vhich enter into competition *vith private business firms, payi/jg the ordinary municipal rates. An additional motior, proposed by Mr Baldwin, and carried unanimously, recommended that rates should be payable on the larftl bought by tho Government for workers' cottages not yet erected. It was held that in tins connection the State should be on the same footing as a private owner.' A resolution was pV.ssed cailiug upon the Government to give effect to a remit passed at"the last conference urging the repeal o( section 117 of the Public Works Act (the "compulsory dedication" clause), or in tho alternative to give tiiw local authority the right to approve of the dedication. The committee agreed that the present system of street-widening was not of practical use. The following motion by Mr Holland (Christchurch) was passed:—"That the Municipal Corporations Art, 1910, bo amended in the direction of providing for some valuation assistance to be given to local bodies by the Government Department ia assessing the value of improvements effected »by street-widening,-subject to.tie right of appeal by such party." It was decided to recommend the amendment of the Proportional Representation Act, 1914, so as to allow, a council to retain .office'till its successor is appointed in the case of divided boroughs, and the amendment of the Local Representation Act so as to "dispense with a scrutiny unless such is called for by one of the candidates, and that the Municipal Corporations Act and tJio Municipal Loans Act should be consolidated.