OFFICIAL REPLY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4347, 25 October 1950, Page 9

OFFICIAL REPLY

ATTITUDE OF COUNCIL

MEETING AT WHITIANGA

-QUESTION OF NOTICE OF MOTION

Writing on behalf of the Coromandel County Council, the county clerk has requested the Gazette to publish an outward letter from the council to Mr J. S. Bongard of Whitianga. Mr Bongard acted as secretary for a public meeting held at Whitianga on August 24, and the council’s letter dated September 18 is in reply to a letter from Mr Bongard, the outcome of the meeting. The letter reads as under:—

“Dear Sir, —In. order to put it on record and officially reply to your letter on behalf of public meeting at Whitianga asking for acceptance of the nomination of Mr F. N. Donaghy as councillor for the balance of the term of council, I have to state that the chairman has ruled that a notice of motion lodged by some sitting councillor would first have to be received by the county clerk 14 days prior to a council meeting to enable the matter of revocation of the resolution of council passed at the August meeting resolving ‘that the vacancy be not filled* to be brought up for consideration.

“In your Jetted of September 12 referring to section 91 of the Counties Act, that clause is an enabling one and states inter alia ‘at least seven days notice’ ... ‘to each councillor.’ “Section 95 of the Counties Act gives power to the council to regulate the meetings, etc. The council in 1944 made standing orders for its own government, and the clause dealing with notices of motion states ‘Notices of motion shall be in writing signed by the mover, stating the day proposed /df bringing on such motion and must ! W delivered to the clerk not less than 1/ days before such date.’

‘‘Your first letter written on August 26 Was received in the county office on August 30, the fourteenth day prio/ to the meeting, the agenda and notides to councillors for the meeting to held on September 13 were being prepared that day. Some mails only go OMce per week to some parts of tW county, therefore for the individual councillors to get at least seven notice they must be posted well in advance, this is the reason behind the county council’s standing order whfeti atates 14 days. This you will agree is not contrary to Section 91 of the Act.

“Up to the time of Writing this, no notice. of motion has been received which would provide for the subject to be opened for discussion. The October meeting will be held on October 11, accordingly the latest date for any notice of motion to find a place on the agenda will be September 27.”