THE NEW COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 111, 11 May 1923, Page 8

THE NEW COUNCIL

OUTLYING DISTRICTS COMMITTEE

ABOLISHED

EQUALISING COUNCILLORS' DUTIES.

In appointing its committees for the ensuing two years, the City Council yesterday abolished the Outlying Districts Committoe, which has done much useful work in the post. The formation last year of the Works Committee resulted in many of the functions of the older committee being usurped, and on account of this overlapping, the council's officers have frequently found it difficult to draw a. clear dividing line between the two. This has been overcome by giving the responsibilities of the Outlying Districts Committee to the Works Committee. The number of committees of the council is thus reduced to the same number as before the Works Committee was set up.

In forming the committee a successful endeavour has been made to divide the work more evenly than before between the members of the council. Previously, some councillors were members of six committees, while others sat as members of only three or four. Under the new arrangement, Councillors H. D. Bennett, B. G. H. Burn, T. Forsyth, and M. M. F. Luckie are members of four committees; Councillors W. H. Bennett, J. Burns, A. L. Monteith, W. J. Gaudin, W. J. Thompson, J. Aston, G. Mitchell, A. W. Parton, F. Meadowcroft, and C. H. Chapman are members of three committees; and Mrs. A. M'Vicar is a member of two s committees. When the chairmen of the committees are appointed, some councillors will find that as such they are obliged to serve on the Finance Committee, which consists of the Mayor and the chairmen of the respective committees. The Mayor is also' chairman of the Tramways Committee, and may attend the meetings of any of the other committees.

Owing to a misunderstanding, the names of the two Labour councillors — Messrs. A. L. Monteith and C. H. Chapman—were published as members of the Tramways and Milk Committees, respectively, instead of vice versa. In the debate upon the arrangement of committees, Councillor Chapman moved as an amendment to the motion for the adoption of the committees as proposed that in view of his experience in tramway matters as secretary of the Wellington Tramway Employees' Union, Mr. Monteith be a member of the Tramways Committee, and that they should therefore change places. The amendment was not agreed to, however, and the original proposal was adopted. It may be recalled that a similar proposal was defeated some years ago, when the then Mayor, Mr. J. P. Luke (now Sir John Luke), expressed strong objection to Mr. J. Hutchison, who was secretary of the Tramways Union at the time, being appointed to the Tramways Committee.

The first ordinary meeting of the new council will be held on Thursday week, 24th May, and the meetings of committees will commence at the beginning of next week. The first business of each committee will be to appoint a chairman. A special meeting of the council is being called for Thursday next for formal confirmation of a special order that rates be levied in future in one instalment annually instead ( of two. ■■■ The "■■ committees Svill'give-immediate consideration' to the estimates for the cm-rent financial year and the striking of the rates. Speaking to a "Post" reporter to-day, the Mayor remarked that although the general finances of the municipality were fairly satisfactory, committees would, have to be conservative in their demands, as there was still need for careful handling of finance, and there was no wish to unduly increase the rates. A number of extraordinary works were liable to crop up that would have to be attended to; he mentioned as one item the need for repairs to and renovation of the Town Hall building, which had not been attended to for many years.