MUNICIPAL SHOPS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 10, 6 October 1927, Page 6

MUNICIPAL SHOPS

LECHSLATION SOUGHT A PALMERSTON REQUEST The Palmerston North Borough Council recently applied to tlio Acting Minister of Internal Affairs (Hou. Sir Maui .I’oinare), for the insertion of a clause iu the Ixical Legislation Bill empowering tho council to erect a building to be used as a public library and containing shops and offices on the site of the Occidental Hotel, which was destroyed by fire in May last. The application was declined.

Yesterday morning the Mayor of Palmerston (Mr. A. J. Graham), Councillor W. Fitzherbert, and tbo town clork (Mr. J. R. Hardy) interviewed the Minister to see whether the council's proposals could not be reconsidered. It was pointed out that it Parliament agreed to provide the legislation asked for tlm revenue obtained from lotting the shops and offices of the proposed building would relieve the ratepayers of any additional burden in regard to rating. The Minister said he was afraid t.hd matter would be viewed as contentious by the House. The making of a provision authorising a borough council to erect shops and offices for letting purposes opened up a very far-reaching question, ami it was difficult to see where the lino could bo drawn The matter was, therefore, ono of general principle, and as the Local Legislation Bill was a measure intended not to deal with matters of principle, but only to make necessary adjustments, etc., ho was of opinion that that Bill should not lie used for the purpose as suggested by the council. He considered that the council's scheme should be placed before the Municipal Conference so that a general policy for the whole of New’ Zealand could be laid down.