CITY OF WELLINGTON.
ABOLITION OF THE WARD SYSTEM. At last night's meeting of the City Council the question of the ward system ; f dividing the ci;v came under review, ..a a motion by Councillor Luke, who moved that steps be taken to abolish the wards. Councillor McGill thought the time had arrived when the wards should be abolished. as he considered they were unsuitable for a progressive city like Wellington. With a Council elected by the city as a whole he considered an impetus would be given to the advancement of the city. The system was an obsolete one, and if there was a city in the colony whore that petty system should be abolished it was Wellington. The ratepayers were face to face with large expenditure on tramways, water supply and other important works, and with the extension of the boundaries of the city, and he contended that these questions could be much better dealt with by the people in a body. Objection had been made to doing away with tho wards on the ground that it would do away with voting facilities, but he pointed out that any district having a population of 2000 was entitled to a polling booth. Ho believed also that the dilferent parts of the city would be as well looked after under' a consolidated city, and that the twelve members of the Council would still be drawn from various parts of the city. Councillor Smith seconded the mo- - tion, saying that ho had advocated doing away with the ward system years ago. If that were done he believed that the Council would do better work. At anyrate, a trial should, bo made of the new system. H© thought that it was better for tjrat Council to inaugurate tho new system instead of waiting until a new Council came into office.
Councillor Willeston intimated his intention to support the motion. Councillor Townsend considered tho ward system should bo done away with.
Councillor McGill said the motto struck at the root of an intolerable nuisance, and Councillors would no longer be subjected to annoyances from importunate burgesses, as they could reply that they did not represent any particular part of tho city, but the whole. Councillor Evans congratulated tb speakers on tho optimistic tone of their remarks. Ho intended to vote in favour of the motion, but lie did not expect that all tho benefits anticipated worn, accrue on the abolition of the wards. Ono benefit of tho ward system was that it encouraged a mastery of details. The ward system might be charged with breeding a spirit of parochialism, so detrimental to a city’s progress, and its abolition might tend to the growth of the one city with a common interest idea. He regarded the step, however, as an experiment. Councillor Tolhurst said ho had been two years in the Council without observing the parochial spirit referred to. He considered it a pity that they should depart from a system that had served them so well. He would oppose the motion.
Councillor Winder briefly supported the motion.
Councillor Murdoch stated that he could not give his support to the step contemplated. Ho considered the ratepayers ought to have a voice in such an important question as abolishing the wards. Thorndon under the ward system had been, getting a fan* share of attention, and had nothing to complain of.
Councillor Anderson confessed, inability to understand why the motion had been brought forward before the question had been properly represented to the ratepayers. He considered the abolition of the wards would lead to abuses. Before any stops should be taken the question ought to be submitted to the ratepayers. They could not point to any British city in which the ward system had been broken up. He would oppose the motion by all the means in his power, as one end of the city would be able, if it were carried, to return the whole of the Council. (No, no.)
Councillor Luke replied to the opponents of the motion, and also to Councillor Evans’s objections. When the Mayor put the motion to tho meeting it was opposed by Councillors Anderson, Murdoch and Tolhurst. A motion was also put to the meeting and carried to the effect that the calling of the statutory meeting bo k left in the hands of tho Mayor.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4288, 22 February 1901, Page 6
Word Count
726CITY OF WELLINGTON. New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4288, 22 February 1901, Page 6
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