TRADING IN METAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15407, 16 September 1913, Page 9

TRADING IN METAL.

POWERS OF A COUNCIL.

AUDITOR'S TAG DISCUSSED.

Recently the Grey Lynn Borough Counr.\ expressed great indignation at the fact that ihe 1913 balance-sheet had been returned by Llio Auditor-General with a tap upon it. This tag was placed on the I alameisheet because the council had been trading in metal, this being against the law.

A reply from the Auditor-General to the protest mode by the Grey Lynn Councd i:. respect to the tag camo before the meeting of the council last evening, and was received with derisive laughter. The reply attained the following paragraph: -" Vour intimation r,s to the intention of your council to defend any action brought by mo is ant only uncalled for now, but v.otild at any time be futile i? it is inl«'.nded to nave the effect of a deterrent " i ' h "i May.r (Mr. G. Baiidon) reported ■ >;tt be had waned upon the Auditor l-r.oral in Wellington in respect to T-'ai-ry sales of surplus metal. The latter wlii""'! lhat. the Attorney General should be mtrrviPwer with a Mew to iiißortin K A cm,.,, in the amending Bill to the Mil-n.-.iwl Corporations Act of 190 a. now '"!■''.•. the [louse. cabling local bodies • dispose of their surplus qnarrv pro:«"t«. 'I waited up,,,, Mr. Herdman " -i«l .he .Mayer, "and placed the conn•l •- sine of the question before him. Mr. I'niman informed me that it was proI' f-d to give the power to local bodies t. trade with «,.,«, other only 1 urged ' hat he would take into consideration :!ie advisability of permitting local an '" n:ie.-« t,. supply their own raVnavcra with metal To this suggestion Mr. 'Herd,:.ri .seemed inclined to ac;ree, and pro- • .■srd to give the suggestion his favour .ink' coiLsid^ration."

In further reference to the subject, Mr. !>a,1.1.,i, sm.l 'li.it he had a heart-to-heart i«lk with the Auditor-General re-L-ardm- the tag. While realising that the rouncil had been working in the interests of the borough, the A..ditor(..eneral said it bad not been working in ac ordanee with the Act. °

The .Mayor's report was received