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the Counties Conferences held regularly for the purpose of considering amendments to the Counties Act; then they had the Municipal Conference, which met to discuss amendments in the Municipal Corporations Act. As a matter of fact, he had in his possession the reports of the last Conferences of both the Municipal Councils and the County Councils. In these circumstances he thought it would be quite a waste of time to consider details in respect to local government. What they wanted to do was to consider structure, and see where reform could be made in general principles. Mr. Joseph Corkhill (Mayor of Wairoa) said he noticed it was not proposed to set up a Committee to bring down recommendations in connection with Harbour Board and harbour legislation. He thought a Committee ought to be set up to deal specially with that part of local government. The President explained that his idea was to get the Conference to appoint an executive of seven gentlemen, who would arrange the Committees, and bring their recommendations down for the approval or otherwise of the Conference. If that were done there would be a saving of time. Mr. G. J. Garland (Auckland) moved, That a Committee, or Executive, of six be appointed, with the Chairman, for the purpose of selecting the Committees. Dr. J. C. Collins (Cook Hospital Board) said he had pleasure in seconding the motion. Motion agreed to. The names of the following eleven delegates were duly proposed for the Executive: A. E. Jull (Hawke's Bay), C. J. Parr (Auckland), J. G. Wilson (Palmerston North), W. Macalister (Southland, Wallace, and Fiord), J. H. Walker (Dunedin), D. McLaren (Wellington), C. J. Harley (Nelson), W. S. Maslin (South Canterbury), J. Bruce (North Canterbury), D. Stewart (Otago), J. Wilson (Otago). Mr. William Ritchie (Chairman of the Waitotara County Council) moved, That the first six names be the Executive. Mr. G. J. Garland (Auckland) suggested that the Mayors of the four leading cities be on the Executive. Mr. R. Moore (Deputy Chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board) thought it would be a mistake to have the four cities on the Executive. The President said it was a matter on which they need not waste much time, because if they took the whole of the eleven gentlemen who had been nominated they would be found to be thoroughly representative of the Conference. He would ask the meeting to elect the eleven gentlemen who had been proposed, whom he felt certain were thoroughly representative of the whole of the Conference. Agreed to. Mr. H. Schofield (Chairman of the Hospital Board, Auckland) asked if the Conference would elect the Committees, or would they be elected by the Executive? Now that the Executive had been set up, would the Conference proceed upon a general discussion on the Bill and on the Minister's speech? He desired to know something of the personnel of the Committees. The President replied that all that the Executive would do would be to suggest names, and it would rest with the Conference as to the election of the Committees. That, of course, went without saying. He moved, That the Conference now adjourn till 2 o'clock; that would give members an opportunity of perusing the tables attached to the speech he had read, and it would further give the Executive an opportunity for the half-hour before lunch to go into the business of setting up, or, rather, suggesting Committees for the special consideration of the different phases of the Bill. At 2 o'clock the Conference would be able to go right on with the general discussion upon his speech, upon the Bill, and local government generally. Motion agreed to, and Conference accordingly adjourned till 2 o'clock. Local Government Bill. The President, before resuming, said that in case it might be required he had had a telephone installed in the building for the use of members. Another matter to which he desired to refer was that Cabinet invited the Conference to luncheon at Bellamy's on Wednesday at 1 o'clock. Before luncheon the Conference would be photographed. The General Assembly Library was at the disposal of the Conference during their stay in AVellington, and he had given instructions that the library should be kept open for the convenience of members till 8 o'clock each evening. This would enable them, to inspect the library during lunch-hour, and obtain from time to time any information required. The intention of the Government was that the Conference should have the fullest use of the library. And, further, any special information found necessary would be obtainable from the Departments, and he would be pleased to give consideration to a request for any return asked for by members. The Librarian, so far as the library was concerned, would be glad to place any special books asked for in the hands of members for the purpose of the business of the Conference. Unfortunately Mr. Vernon Reed, M.P., who was to represent the Bay of Islands at the Conference, was unable to attend, owing to the death of his father-in-law, Mr. T. C. Williams, and the Chairman of the Mangonui County Council (Mr. Wrathall) could take his place if it was the wish of the delegates present. He might explain that there had been some dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Conference had been convened —that was, the various districts had protested against the selection method. He was, however, satisfied from the Conference that was there to-day that the very best possible scheme to get an all-round selection of representative men from public bodies in New Zealand had been adopted, and the result proved that. In the regrettable absence of Mr. Reed, was it the wish of the Conference that the Chairman of the Mangonui County Council, although he came without any mandate from the district, should be allowed to take his seat?

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