IN PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3294, 12 August 1911, Page 2

IN PARLIAMENT.

THE TOWN PLANNING BILL.

“TOO MUCH GOVERNOR-IN COUNCIL.”

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

URGED

(.FEE PEESB ASSOCIATION.J WELLINGTON, August 11. _ The House of Representatives this evening went into Committee on the Town Planning Bill. Mr J. Allen (Bruce)' objected to the section, providing that after considering a scheme of tow r n .planning the Board should report upon it to the Governor-in-Council and make recommendations, as it provided dual control. He was prepared to trust the Board, and thought the reference to the Governor-in-Council 1 should be deleted. Mr A. M. Myers (Auckland East) supported this objection. Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) suggested that the final authority in the matter should be vested in a body answering to English local government. The Minister might be president of this body. Messrs T. H. Davey (Christchurch East), R. A. Wright (Wellington South), J. P. Luke (Wellington Suburbs), and G. Witty (Riocarton), objected to the power vested’ in the Gov-ernor-m-Council. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds defended the Board. The Board as he proposed it would answer to expert officers of a local government board as at Home. Mr G. J. Anderson (Mat-aura) moved an amendment that the Board, after considering the scheme, may approve of it with such modifications as it may think fit. The Hon. R. McKenzie said that no one in the country had more consideration for the wish of the people than the Governor-in-Council.

Mr Anderson explained that his amendment tendered more towards the protection of smaller towns. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds interjected that the catch cry against the Gover-aiof.iu-'Counoil was ,a futile one. It was a new thing to propose that- the final seal of responsibility should be on anyone outside the Ministry. The Gov-ernor-in-Council was a protection for the individual.

Mr G. W. Russell (Avon) said that it was not a matter of making a catch cry of the Governor-in-Council, but of fighting for the principle of local self-government. At wiliat point, he asked, were the powers of Ministers to cease, and how far did powers of people go ? He stood for local selfgovernment. The early settlers had fought for it and l won it, and he intended to stand up for it. Messrs. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South), A. L. Herdman (Wellington North), and T. H. Davey (Christchurch East) said they thought there was too much Governor-in-Council in the Bill. The House divided on Mr. Anderson’s amendment, which was negatived bv 34 to 29.

After a lengthy discussion on clause 5 of the Bill, the Hon. G. Fowlds moved that progress be reported, and the House adjourned at 11.50 p.m.