Municipal Association Debates Council Polls

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28528, 6 March 1958, Page 12

Municipal Association Debates Council Polls

Proposals that councils themselves should fill extraordinary vacancies on councils were heavily defeated yesterday at the annual conference of the Municipal Association.

A Mount Roskill remit, which was finally defeated, was that optional provision be made for a council, on a two-thirds vote, to fill a casual vacancy for councillor by appointment of the available unsuccessful candidate at the preceding election polling the highest votes.

Also defeated decisively on the voices was a Dargaville amendment that where an extraordinary vacancy occurred in the office of mayor or councillor through death or incapacity by illness, councils might fill the vacancy, provided there had not been a requisition from at least 5 per cent, of the ratepayers demanding a poll. The "apathy” of electors towards local elections and polls was mentioned by Mr H. A. Anderson when he elaborated his presidential report to the conference. The report said that written views of members had offered no real help towards solving the problem. Mr Anderson said he could not explain the apathy of the electors. ‘‘lf you doubled up the rate for the next three or four years you might get a reaction,” he said. “The body politic does not seem to be interested unless there is a real row on.” “If someone has the answer, we would be very pleased,” Mr Anderson commented later. Automatic Filling The automatic filling by a de-puty-mayor of the mayoralty when an extraordinary vacancy occurred and the filling of the consequential vacancy on the council by the council were proposed by a remit from the Auckland City Council. This council recently spent £9700 on by-elec-tions. said the Mayor (Mr K. J. Buttle).

"Don’t you think it was worth it?” asked Mr Anderson, amid laughter. "It was still a waste of public money,” said Sir Leonard Wright (Dunedin). The time had come for the abolition of all by-elections, said Mr R. Keen (Otago). The public was apathetic. Wellington was opposed to the remit, said Mr F. J. Kitts, as it had not had a by-election for the mayoralty this century. Men who would accept the deputy-mayor-alty might not accept the mayoralty—which in Wellington was a full-time job—on the score of expense. They had to pay for their democratic system. After the lunch adjournment, eight amendments to the remit were indicated.

Mr C. F. Woodall (Devonport) said that nobody was happy with the existing law. The majority would be in agreement that councils should have the permissive right to fill a vacancy at any time, provided that the electors had the right to a poll. The conference decided by 86 to 57 votes that it was satisfied with the existing law, but numerous delegates indicated that they wished to speak on amendments. "The vote is sufficiently clear to leave things as they are,” said the president. His view was challenged, and Auckland was given leave to withdraw the remit, as opportunity for further debate was given by other remits. No Longer Term

"That the Government be requested to give consideration to increasing the term of office of municipal authorities, this to take effect after the next municipal election” was proposed by East Coast Bays. Mr C. Kendall, who moved the remit, said that too frequent changes in councils held up development, particularly in new and growing districts. The remit was not seconded, and lapsed. No Honorariums Provision for the payment to councillors of an annual honorarium of £lO to cover their out-of-pocket expenses was proposed by Mount Albert. A Wellington amendment was that councillors receive an honorarium of £lO for each 10,000 of population, with a maximum of £lOO, and chairmen of committees receive £l5, with a maximum of £l5O, half the allowance to be free of taxation. “I don’t think we should be receiving suggestions from a Minister how we should vote here today,” said Mr R. Braithwate (Hamilton), opposing the proposals. The proposals were ohly a small recognition of the plaudits given in speeches at the opening of the conference for the work of councillors, said Mr S. A. Whitehead (Nelson).

The spirit of voluntary service was being carried too far when anomalies in relation to other bodies were so obvious, said Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P. (Christchurch).

The Wellington amendment was lost, and Mr K. W. Hay (Mount

Roskill) moved further that the honorarium be £25 a year.

“Is it not true that councillors can already collect out-of-pocket expenses?” was a question. "Yes,” replied the president. “But this is to save them going with an expenses sheet every month to collect a few shillings. The proposal is to place the expenses on an annual basis.” Mr E. P. Meacheh (Blenheim) said he disputed the president’s reply. If a carpenter lost working time by attending a works inspection, he should be reimbursed for loss of wages. This amendment was also lost. On the original remit being put, it was defeated by 69 votes to 64 votes. Polls Procedure “That the system of block voting be discontinued and votes cast for fewer than the number of vacancies to be filled declared informal” was a Foxton remit which lapsed for want of a seconder. In an effort to improve polling and interest, Foxton proposed that the penalty for non-registration by municipal voters be increased from 5s to £lO. The remit was amended to provide for a penalty of £2 for the first offence and £5 for the second offence, and was carried. A remit from Foxton that voting for all elections be on the “strike-out” basis was rejected.