MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17663, 12 September 1919, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, September 10..

The annual conference of the Municipal Association opened this afternoon, the-Mayor of Wellington presiding.

The Governor-General, in opening the conference, said the provision or adequate house accommodation was a .most pressing problem.

1 The Chairman said the obligation was upon municipalities to finance housing schemes, and the best assistance the State could give would be [by raising money for municipalities ut 4 per cent The difference between 4 per cent, and what the Government had to pay for money should be a charge on the Consolidated Fund.

The first remit on the order paper was: "That the Government; be urged to establish a Local Government Board, whose functions would be to grant authority to local bodies, and assist them with expert advice in respect of loans, public works, bylaws, public health, town-planning, and such other matters as the Government think fit."—After a brief discussion the remit was altered to read: "That tne functions of the board should be to assist local bodies with expert advice." In this form the remit was carried.

A motion —"That, owing to the great increase of the cost of material and labour, and the continual reductions in the valuation roll under Section 36 of the Valuation of Land Act, 1908, the limit of l%d. in the £ on the capital value is insufficient to carry on the ordinary work of a borough, and that the limit be now raised to provide for the extra cost," was carried, with a proviso that the rate should not exceed 2d. in the £1.

A motion that City and Borough Councils be elected for three years was carried. '

It was decided that the .Government be requested to pass legislation, authorising local bodies to contribute moneys from their ordinary funds for the purpose of establishing a permanent peace memorial.

A remit, urging that councillors should receive payment for their services, was lost.

It was decided that the Government be asked to substantially increase the annual subsidy, or, failing this, that they pay rates on all Government trading concerns. The present maximum subsidy of £450 is quite inadequatet.

It was. decided to urge that the Government to remit all duty on all machinery and material imported by local bodies for the purpose of constructing public works.

Mr. T. V. Martin, secretary to the conference, stated that workers' dwellings came within.the definition of public works. , *

The following remit was carried: "That legislation be introduced to enable a City or Borough Council to set aside out of its general account, or any.separate account, any^moneys to form a fund or funds for the repair or renewal of any plant, building, or other property in connection with the account from which such fund shall be set aside, and from time to time to invest any moneys so set aside, and to pay the proceeds of such investments into such funds-