WORK OF CITY COUNCIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11007, 16 September 1921, Page 2

WORK OF CITY COUNCIL

A NEW COMMITTEE GENERAL REDUCTION AND REORGANISATION. LAST NIGHT’S DECISION. The question of setting up a works committee as a means of facilitating the work of the City Council has had some consideration at previous meetings of the council. The matter was introduced at last night’s meeting of the council by Councillor T. Forsyth, who moved as follows : ‘'That a works committee be set up in order to facilitate the carrying out of the works undertaken by the council. The function of such committee to consider and deal with all reports concerning the various undertakings of the council, exclusive of the trading concerns. Such -committee to consist of five councillors, and the Mayor to be chairman/' In support of his motion. Councillor Forsyth, said that his object was that the various works undertaken by the council should be attended to in order of necessity. He understood that the works committees in existence in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, had been found to be beneficial to the operations of those bodies. The want of a works committee had been felt in Wellington. Such a committee would be in. dose touch with all the works of the city* and would be able to classify the matters that came under its notice in order of preference. The officers of the council, he believed, would welcome the committee.

Seconding the motion, Councillor W. H. Bennett said, he was 6till convinced, as he was years that a works committee was essential to the council's operations, whether it was a sub-com-mittee of an existing committee or a newly-appointed body of councillors. Councillor C. J. jB. Norwood considered that if another committee was added to the present eight, the council would find its workings become complicated. He had an idea the mover was actuated by a feeling that the existing committees were not functioning as they should do. He advocated an overhaul of the whole system of committees rather than the addition of a further committee to the already large number. He moved as an amendment: "That a committee of the council be appointed with a view to reorganising the work of the various committees, and that such committee ue requested to bring down a report as early as possible with the object of reducing the number of committees/' J T Q*fudin 6 eecon< * ed by Councillor W.

Councillor M. F. Buckie thought a works committee, differently constituted from the finance committee, was desirable. The need! of such a hody was becoming more and more urgent everv day.

Councillor C. H. Chapman objected to the appointment of a further committee Unless it was to take the place of the finance committee, it would simply mean a duplication of work. 1 - uJiS oucillor H. D. Bennett favoured both the reduction of the present num:f r ,i committees and the reorganisation of the existing system. After further discussion the amendment was carried in favour of the orm°tlor) by ten vote 6 to six. ine committee was appointed as folMa y°i’ and Councillors Norwood, Chapman, Dale, Burn, McKenzie, H. D. Bennett, and S. H. Underwood.