THE CITY'S BUSINESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 15

THE CITY'S BUSINESS.

SYSTEM IN AUCKLAND. COUNCIL'S COMMITTEES. THE RULE.

Difficulty experienced in Christchurch . staining a quorum at some of the mjnittee meetings of the City Council jas teen attributed to the fact that the Xabour members on the council were area unable to attend. The experience (jjictehuren is in markeu contrast to that of Auckland. In this city there is practically always j foil attendance at committee meet- •„« Tor vears past, the chairmen of various" standing committees have observed strict punctuality, and it has ken the practice for meetings to commence on the tick of time. Members now .jake punctuality for granted and are »lways in attendance on time. Each member of the loeal council is oil two committees, and in addition to the council meeting, which gkes place once a fortnight, it is his intv to be present at a fortnightly meetly of each committee. Occasionally there are special meetings of the committees, and also visits to works which are in progress in the city. In the case of the Works Committee, which often has a heavy programme, the meeting always takes over three hours, and often four. He Mayor makes a practice of attending all committee meetings, except when deputations and other matters, engage lis attention. Wellington has a rather different system for the conduct of its business from that of Auckland. Council meetings are held there only once every three weeks. The committee meetings ace spread over a longer period, but the amount; of busi- 1 Bess to be dealt with is greater, and at the council table it is not an uncommon experience for the deliberations to ex-, tend into the small hours of the morning. I The Auckland City Council meetings hegin at 7 o'clock, and generally finish at 10 pon., seldom later than 11 p.m. The experience of the system of fortnightly "meetings locally has made it obvious that puolic business can be more efficiently transacted than if plans of subdivisions for approval, for instance, had to wait for a longer time before bein°dealt with. In the case of such transact tions the council's approval is necessary More Anything is done. _ As to the amount of work for the staff, ft is considered that it is practically the same in the aggregate under either system, except for minor considerations.