ADJOURNED SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY BOARD.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2712, 27 March 1866, Page 5

ADJOURNED SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY BOARD.

An adjourned special meeting of the City Board of Commissioners was held at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at their offices, Canada Buildings, 'to further consider the Auckland Municipal Police Act, 1866. Present : Messrs. J. W. Bain (chairman), Ashton, George, Swanson, Slater, Maeready, and Wrigley. Mr. Commissioner Naughton attended at the request of the Board. The Chaieman explained that that was an. adjourned meeting to carry out the object for which they had met on Saturday last— to decide whether or not the Board should accept the Act in* its entirety, with the definition of the boundaries as proclaimed in the Provincial Gazette, or not. The next question they would have to consider was whether, in the event of their accepting the Act, they would be able to impose a registration fee upon those places of amusement, &c, described in sections 15 and 16 of the Act. The law officer of the Board had been communicated with, and had submitted hiß opinions on the subject. . • Mr. Geoege said the Board should confine themselves to the city. If they sought- to exercise jurisdiction beyond the city, he believed they would be doing what was wrong. Mr. Maceeady said if they merely confined themselves to the "city another local board would be formed. Mr. Ashton said if they were to accept the Act they should take it as a whole. The Chaibman observed, with respect to the bye-laws, that the Board would make them at any time they pleased, so soon as they obtained sufficient legal advice upon the question. Mr. Maceeady said, in reference to the places mentioned" in the 15th clause, if the Board could not impose licensing fees, they could compel keepers or 'conductors of such places to observe regular hours, which was of importance. The Chaieman said that, according to clause 3, the Act was fully in force, whether the Board accepted it or not. Mr. Commissioner Naughton said the Act was now in force, whether the City Board administered it or not. He directed attention to various clauses in the Act. Very few of the provisions of the Act would apply to places outside the limits of the city, as prescribed by the City Board Act. He thought it would be advantageous that the Board should take the Act in its entirety. The 7th clause, relating to the licensing of carters, showed the necessity of their doing so, as they would have no power to license carts unless they did take the whole Act. It was necessary that the City Board and the police should co-operate together, in carrying out the provisions of the Act. Mi*. Ashton said the police could put in. force any power which the Board had under that Act. Mr. Maceeadt wished to know if they could charge a registration fee. Mr. Naughton said they could make the payment of a registration fee one of their first rules. Mr. Weigley said they might not grant a license unless a fee were paid. The Chaieman said the question to be determined was — should they accept the Act or not P If they accepted it, they could then form their own bye-laws. • Mr. Slater said, as the acceptance of the Act did not involve the Board in any additional liability or responsibility, but conferred additional power upon them, he did not see any objection to receiving it.and afterwards framing any bye-laws that might be required. Mr. Swanson did not approve of the Board going beyond the boundaries defined by their own Act. Mr. Weigley thought it desirable that the Board should take in those boundaries defined in the notification which appeared in the Gazette. It was the wish of his Honor the Superintendent thai they should do so. If another board were formed to carry out the Act, they might interfere with the operations of the City Board, especially in. those streets where one side of the street was under the control of the City Board, and the other side without the boundary of the city. Their actions and interests might clash in such cases. - With respect to the licensing of carts, &c, he also thought it desirable that the Board should take over the Act. He would again move the following resolution: — "That the City Board agree to undertake the responsibility of carrying out the Auckland Municipal Police Act, 1866", according to notification published in the Provincial Government Gazette, March 22." * Mr. Ashton, in seconding the adoption of the resolution, said he fully concurred in the observations made by the mover of it. He thought they should be coming into collision with another local auihority if formed, and would not act so harmoniously together as would promote the interests and welfare of the city generally. The resolution was carried. This terminated the proceedings.