The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, December 8, 1887. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 77, 8 December 1887, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Thursday, December 8, 1887. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL.

Be just and fear not; !>t all the ends than aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

The Municipal Corporations Sills which has been brought down by Mr Stevens, contains many provisions of an important nature, some of which may prove acceptable, while others will prove the reverse. The most radical reform is the clause to take from the ratepayers the power of exercising their voice in electing the Mayor : the members of the Council are to have that privilege. Why it should be suggested that any alteration in this direction should take place is hard to imagine. No one can for a moment argue that the present system does not work well: besides the movement is one that has evidently been promulgated with the object of lessening the rights of the majority of ratepayers and transferring it to a few who form the Council. If such a power were given, it would be a blow at the prerogative of the people. Beyond pointing out how absurd the suggestion is there is no need for comment, as there is little chance of such a provision being carried, indeed there is every probability that the Bill will be thrown ou t altogether. Passing from the clauses relating to dealing with the revenue of the Council, we find retrospective and prospective provision is made for the payment of Licensing Clerks and the expenses of Committees, the payment of travelling and hotel expenses of deputations to wait on Ministers on Borough business, and payment of grants in aid of public libraries. Only at the last meeting of the Borough Council the question of paying Mr Greenwood, Clerk of the Licensing Bench, came up for discussion, owing to the Auditor-General having refused to pass the amount as not being authorised under the Act. Such payments have been made by a number of Borough Councils throughout the Colony, and the Bill will legalise these expenditures. The proposal to allow grants in aid of public libraries is no doubt a fair one. These institutions are at present maintained by voluntary subscriptions, and Government subsidies. To carry out their policy of retrenchment the Government propose to abolish their grants in aid, and, therefore, public libraries will have, to depend solely

upon the support extended to them by the public. Although the Gisborne people are always ready to extend help to our local institutions it would be a great assistance were the Council empowered to grant a sum annually out of the rates. A few days ago a request was made on behalf of our library for a refund of rates, but, although one and all of the Councillors agreed that the application was fair and reasonable, there was no way by which a legal grant could be made. The Bill also provides for, on certain conditions, compensation allowances to any officer retiring from the service of the Council, or to his family in case of his death, and for the relief of sufferers by tempest, fire or flood. Any expenditure in honor of Her Majesty’s Jubilee is to be passed by the auditor. The other provisions a.e connected with matters merely formal, or those which do not affect us in Gisborne.