MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17388, 28 March 1928, Page 5

MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE.

NO WASTED TIME. A GATHERING FOR BUSINESS. (Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) l> HAMILTON, March 28. His Worship the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr J Fow, was very favourably impressed " with the municipal conference held at Nelson last week, which lie attended in company with the I own Clerk, Mr. \V. L. Waddell. Speaking to a Waikato limes reporter on the conference, Mr l<ow said it was his first visit to a Municipal Conference and he was keenly interested in the proceedings. It was soon evident, he said, that the delegates were not mcjlined to prolong debates and anything that was not of special importance got a short shrift It was particularly noticeable that when .even weightier matters before the conference, as soon as the subject had been explained the mover and seconder had spoken and one or two had voiced their ideas for or against there was a request that the motion be now put. , A large number of varied remits were dealt with and as far as he could •see, with sound judgment. Value of Conference.

"There has been some discussion regarding these conferences," continued Mr Fow. "It appears to me that the meeting of representatives, public men, with a liberal interchange of ideas and .with varied experiences must have some value, and those, delegates whom I met more personally, were most ready to give any assistance or advice and "it was a pleasure to meet so many men in charge of public affairs." His Worship added that any delegate who expected to dominate the proceedings and monopolise the time got a rude awakening, and the conference soon showed that it would not countenance personal referneces or any heat in debate. Every delegate got an equal hearing and His Worship is confident that the great majority of the delegates attached value and importance to the conference. Of course, he observed,' the crux of the whole position is whether the Government will give due consideration to the various recommendations. There was no political bias or criticism but a very definite desire to offer some constructive measures to assist local government so that business men will consider it worth while to take up public position in their respective centres. . -