MUNICIPAL LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 261, 4 November 1933, Page 10

MUNICIPAL LAW.

AMENDING LEGISLATION. SERVICES OF OFFICERS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Many machinery alterations are made in the Municipal Corporations Bill, which was introduced in the House yesterday. The measure is designed to consolidate and modernise the existing legislation, but, in addition to that, it makes a number of important changes.

A new provision gives authority to the council to appoint any member of a committee 'as permanent chairman of that committee and fixes the life of committees at three years, unless they be discharged by the council before that time. Councils are also authorised to set up joint committees on which members of othe+ local authorities are en-; titled to sit." Authority' is also to be given to councils to':enter into contracts providing for the services of officers for periods up to-three years, and these can be renewed for further terms not exceeding three years. ':

The decision of the Audit Office as to whether or not any expenditure is properly chargeable against any account is to be final. Surpluses transferred from special accounts to the general account may at any time be retransferred to the general account. It is also proposed to give municipalities the right to establish renewal or replacement accounts otherwise than in respect to -trading undertakings. Leases of Reserves. Lands and buildings on public reserves are not to be leased. In the case of land, not a public reserve, which is leased from the council, the lessee is prohibited from erecting any building other than a building authorised by the lease as necessary for the full use of the land. No restrictions on the full use by the public of leased land are to be imposed.

Authority is to be given to municipalities to make advances to property owners for the purpose of connecting the premises with the drainage system or the gas supply system of the borough, the actual cost to "be loaded with 5 per cent for supervision and the rate of interest not to exceed 6 per cent per annum.

The powers of councils in respect to municipal housing schemes are to be widened considerably. In addition to the purchase" of land and the erection of house's, provision is contained for the purchase of houses already erected. Probably to meet present conditions, power is given for the drawing up of a new agreement in respect to the purchase of a worker's dwelling at any time after one-tenth of the purchase price has been repaid. If this is done, any arrears of interest can be capitalised and treated as outstanding principal.