N.Z. MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20064, 22 March 1935, Page 14

N.Z. MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE DECISIONS OF INTEREST By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, March 21. The annual conference of the Hew Zealand Municipal Association opened this morning. The Mayor of Christchurch, Mr D. G. Sullivan, presiding, welcomed the delegates, and then reviewed recent legislation so far as it affected local bodies. A telegram was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs, Sir Alexander Young, wishing the conference every success. Among the early remits carried was one urging a more equitable system of distributing auctioneers’ licenses among local authorities, than is provided by the Auctioneers’ Act, 1928, and another urging the Government to bring down general legislation giving municipalities the option of selecting either of the methods of recording votes at elections —the use of a cross against names or the deleting of names. A telegram was sent by Mr D. G. Sullivan M.P., president, at the unanimous request of the conference protesting to the Government against the non-payment of rates by the Government Departments concerned with mortgage lands of which the departments had taken possession. The conference declared that local bodies were t’ e victims of a grave injustice of which they should be relieved. The telegram was sent to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Leader of the Opposition. It was decided that representations be made to the Government asking for stricter control of Alsatian dogs or for legislation forbidding their being kept in the Dominion. The principle of a national scheme of health insurance was approved by the conference. Details of the scheme were not discussd, because of representations that the Hospital Boards’ Association had the 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 be the second Wednesday in May triennially was approved. The conference refused to adopt a suggestion that the Government should make a rebate to all ratepayers as has 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 cities and 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 rural local bodies should be within the sphere of the inquiry. A scheme for the provision of earthquake insurance by a national scheme such as was submitted in Mr W. E. Barnard’s Bill of last year was approved. Several delegates spoke in support of a remit declaring that the conference viewed with alarm the number of advertising hoardings throughout the country side, and suggesting that all local bodies frame by-laws restricting the erection of them. It was unanimously decided that the Government 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 : 'ply the tuberculin test periodically to all cows producing milk for city and town consumption.’’