COUNCILLOR TAKES A CONTRACT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10536, 18 August 1910, Page 2

COUNCILLOR TAKES A CONTRACT.

(Per Phess Association.) Dargaville, August 17. In February last year, on the occasion of a Ministerial visit, a dinner wars given, the catering being partly done by Councillor Carr, whoso account amounted to £S odd. It was not known at the time that this was an infringement of section"43 of the Municipal Corporations Act, but the amount was subsequently disallowed by the Auditor-General. Since the banquet referred to a fresh Council election has taken place, at v. Inch Mr Carr was re-elected. The question arose "upon the publication of the. balance-sheet with the Auditor's tag as to whether Mr Carr would have to resign. The matter was referred to the borough solicitors (Messrs Hayes and Darling), who stated that Mr Carr should have resigned at the time of his contract in 1909, but did not owing to the fact that he never knew lie had done an illegal act. He continued in office till October of that \ear, when' he. with other councillors, went out of office. He sought reelection in the October elections and was returned. When he was re-elected lie was eligible to stand, for he did not come 'within any of the incapacities in section 42, as he was. validly reelected he did not become incapable to act. They are therefore of opinion that Mr Carr is not hound to resign for what happened during his term as a councillor in a prior council.