Govt attacked for ‘rushing’ bill

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 2

Govt attacked for ‘rushing’ bill

The Ellesmere County (Council yesterday added its i voice to the growing number | of local bodies critical of • "hasty legislation” and the lack of time being allowed |to consider draft bills. Protests in “the strongest ( possible terms” will be sent (to the Minister of Internal , Affairs (Mr Highet) and the •local member of Parliament |(Mr C. C. A. McLachlan). The County Clerk (Mr G. !R. Singleton) told yesterday’s meeting of the council that copies of the Local Government Amendment Bill, 1979, arrived at the county office on Friday. Submissions on thje 350l clause bill, which runs to almost 300 foolscap pages,

had to be in Wellington wi-[ s thin three weeks. r Because of the importance; f;of the bill, copies had! : I been requested at a cost of 1(525, but there had been no] (time between Friday and t yesterday’s council meeting t for staff to provide a considI ered report on the proposed : legislation, said Mr Singlet ton. He said he had been con- . cerned for some time about ■ the lack of time given to 1 local authorities to. consider 1 proposed legislation. t “We raised this matter i two years ago and were promised we would be given j ■ more time. In effect we have : > been given less,” he said. , County staff also had four]]

other bills on hand for con sideration.

"I am appalled that this is I 'pushed in front of us this! way,” said Cr W. T. Sim-1 [pson. “This is far-reaching] legislation and it is a ter-1 rible state of affairs, with; the Government trying to push through legislation with all the haste they can.”

Cr F. H. Eggelston said local bodies would be made] : pegoats later for any] deficiencies in the legislation.

The council appointed a special committee to consider the legislation, with p .. to act without furtherj reference to a full council, in order to meet the dead-’ line for submissions.