TOO SEVERE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 26 September 1923, Page 8

TOO SEVERE.

BREACHES BY TOWN BOARD.

PENALTIES IMPOSED

(BY TELEGRAPH — PRRSP ASSOCIATION.) TE AWAMUTU, Sept. 26. Recently the members of the Kihikihi Town Board were proceeded against at the instance of the Audit Department for breaches of th« Public Bodies Contractors Act because one member was employed to do certain work. The statutory penalties imposed, amounting to £165, Avere paid into court, and all the members have now resigned except one who was elected to an extraordinary vacancy and is not" concerned in the matter in question. It is explained that there has been a difficulty in getting this particular work done, and the member concerned was the only man in the district capable of doing it, and the importation of other workmen would cause delay antl add to the cost. The board considered the statutory penalty opposed to British ideals of justice, and the Department or magistrate should have discretionary powers in dealing with such cases. -\ ■