MUNICIPAL BILL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16946, 22 September 1920, Page 8

MUNICIPAL BILL.

COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS.

(ABRIDGED PRESS ASSOCIATION' BEK>RT.) WELLINGTON, September 21. The House of Representatives went into Committee on the Municipal Corporations Bill. Mr Wilford said lie proposed to support the Bill in its entirety, but ho thought tlie House should take advantage of tho opportunity to enable tho main cities to take in outsido boroug'hs, though not actually contiguous, and thus do away witli a number of small local bodies. They should endeavour to create greater cities wherever they could, and so greatly qeduce the cost of municipal government. . Sir William Herries said that Teas provided for. Mr Luke said Mr F. T. Martin, solicitor to the Municipal Association, had written to him stating t)hat ho had been through the amendments made by the Committee, and had approved of tliem all. There were certain other amendments which had been drafted since fthe Bill was printed. _ Of these Mr Martin also approved. " _ Mr Sullivan suggested that the Prime Minister should insert- *in the Bill a provision that the people of municipal districts should have the right to aetermino by a poll whether or not their municipal elections should bo held on the basis of proportional representation, j He also suggested that when _ the Govemment was making subdivisions of land in towns, they should be compelled to submit their plans to the local authority, just as private individuals had to do. .

Mr Nash objected to the power given to the local authority to increase rates, which power, he said, would have a tendency to induce Councils to go on increasing the burdens of the peoplo without taking the trouble to sccure revaluation of the boroughs. Dr. Thacker said he welcomed legislation which tended to reduce the number of local bodies,,but regretted the .Government's proposals to tax municipal commercial enterprises, -which were car-l-ied on for the benefit of poorer people. Mr Statham asked if tho Prime Minister would accept an amendment empowering trustees to invest trust funds with municipal councils. Often trust funds wore lying in tho banks earning no interest. On the other hand municipalities -wanted money, and were willing to pay for it, so that tho amendment suggested mig'ht be of mutual benefit. Mr Lysnar said he was strongly opposed to proportjonal representation l as applied to municipal elections. At clause 17,' Mr Fraser moved, an amendment giving the optional right to municipalities to hold elections on the. basis of proportional representation.

Mr Massoy said he could not accept the amendment; it was no improvement on the present law. Mr Wilford said while he would gladly vote lor a Bill to elect members of the House on the basis of proportional representation, he did not favour ail amendment being inserted in tihis Bill. The amendment should be inserted in the Local Elections and Polls Act. Ho asked the Chairman of Committees to rule on the point. Mr Malcolm ruled the amendment out of order, it being foreign to the Bill. At clause 42, Mr Sykes moved that in boroughs of not more than 2000 inhabitants, entry into a contract with the Council should not disqualify a person, from sitting as a councillor unless the contract exceeded £50. He contended that in boroughs many estimable men were shut put of municipal life because ihqy were* tho oiily men in the town capable of supplying the borough with necessary work or material. Other members thought the amendment -would open the door to corruption, Und it was lost on the voices. At clause 78, Mr Nash moved to delete the increased rating powers given to Councils.' This provided a discussion as to whether the additional power to rate would not be abused, and whether ii; would not be better to got additional Tevenue by means of more frequeftt revaluations. Tho amendment was lost bv 46 voteo to 9. The Bill was put through Committee, read, a third time and passed. j The House rcso at 12.5 a.m. !