LOBBY GOSSIP.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 176, 27 July 1907, Page 5

LOBBY GOSSIP.

THE COUNCIL SURPRISES ITSELF.

(By Telegraph—Special Correspondent) WELLINGTON, J^y 2^:, The Council to-day relieved the tedmm of the day's proceedings by coming out on a new character, or rather In-a character which the Constitution contemplated from the first, but which most people have forgotten to allow for in their estimates of the Council s deliberations. The Council came out as the champion of the rights of the public against the blundering mamcipalisation. One of those little local Bills which seemed made for goingthrough all their stages at a run ot the uninterrupted order was unexpectedly stuck tip by the Hon. G. McLean .at. the first opportunity afforded by the committee stage. It vas a M brought forward for the Hon. Mr Oimond by a deputy—a Bill for enabling the municipality or Hastings to I deal-with, a reserve presented to them ] by Mr Williams of Frimley in a manner not permitted by the Act under which such benefactions are made to | local bodies. Whereas the Act peri mits only the dealing with reserves for the purposes of planting and grassing, and restricts to ten the number of days on which charges may be made against the public for entrance during the year, this Bill proposed to allow leasing of the reserve for two years longer than the term under the Act, and Avidened the objects of leasing to everything under the sun. The Council at once backed Up the Hon. G. Mac Lean in his demand for information, and Avent beyond him in denouncing the possibility offered by the Bill of closing up for the benefit of private individuals a reserve intended for the general benefits A reply was made on behalf of the Bill that there was no intention of proceeding so far, to which the rejoinder was obvious, that if such powers were not required they ought not to have been asked for:' The supporters further contended that the d°nor quite approved of the terms asked for by the Bill, but the weakness of this appealed to the Council in the only possible way. The Council laughed the plea out of court. It came to this, that if there is any case at all for the extension of the privileges under the Act under which the reserve was granted that reason must be given and cause must be shown that (1) the change is necessary, and (2) to the extent asked for. As nothing Avas done in that direction by the friends of the Bill progress was reported to enable them to be better' preoared on a future occasion. The upshot is that the Council is rather

proiul of having demonstrated that it can look after the popular interest without any special prompting. It is all the more so as opportunity was taken during the discussion to vindicate the position of the Council in a direction in which the Councillors themselves have always appeared to acquiesce in the taunts levelled at their constitutional position. Opportunity having been offered, the Hon. Col. Feldwick declared roundly that the Council enjoyed co-equal powers of originating and'dealing with measures with the other place, with the exception, of course, of money and land Bills, the latter being always regarded constitutionally as on the same footing as cash. This little breeze on a quiet day, when nothing of moment was expected, is quite a feature in the day's proceedings of the Council, which preens itself on the fact that it can no longer be described as the happy, hunting ground of anti-popular privileges.