NOTICE OF MOTION REFUSED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21290, 9 October 1934, Page 13

NOTICE OF MOTION REFUSED

♦ DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL NOT ALLOWED At the meeting of the Christchurch City Council last evening the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) refused to allow Cr. A. E. Armstrong to discuss a decision ruling out of order a notice of motion. Last week the DeputyMayor (Mr J. K. Archer), in the absence of the Mayor, ruled out of order a notice of motion sent in by Cr. Armstrong aiming at an enquiry into the administrative costs of the council. The reason given was that the notice was contrary to the council's standing orders and contained unbecoming expressions. At the meeting last evening Cr. Armstrong asked what had become of his notice of motion. Cr. M. E. Lyons: It must be in the basket. The Mayor: The motion has been ruled out of order under the standing orders by the Deputy-Mayor. Cr. Armstrong began to talk about the decision when Mr Sullivan ruled that it could not be discussed. Cr. Armstrong: I want to move that the Deputy-Mayor's decision be disagreed with. The Mayor: It is not within the power of the council to determine the matter. You must accept the municipal law, Cr. Armstrong. This thing is entirely at the disposal of the Mayor, or in his absence, the DeputyMayor. The council itself has no power to accept a notice of motion or a motion containing an unbecoming expression. Cr. Armstrong: The Deputy-Mayor interpreted the standing order to suit himself, or his own party. I contend that the council has the right to say that the decision be disagreed with. Cr. Armstrong claimed that such action had never before been taken in the history of the council. Cr. Lyons: Butrfhere has never been a notice of motion quite like this. The Mayor told Cr. Armstrong that it was open to him to reconstruct his notice and put it in for the next meeting. The Town Clerk would advise him, if he wished, whether the notice was within the standing orders. Mr Sullivan mentioned that the Municipal Corporations Act gave the De-puty-Mayor the full powers of the Mayor in his absence i;om the city. "This humbug has gone on long enough," said Cr. Armstrong. His remark concluded the <*<scussion.