BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27567, 8 December 1950, Page 8

BALCLUTHA BOROUGH COUNCIL

Sir.—Quite a lot of people in Balclutha are wondering whether the retiring council here acted legally in meeting two days before the election for Mayor and eight councillors and voting a £SO increase in the Mayor’s honorarium, and also implementing a loan proposal. When nominations for a new Mayor and council of nine closed on October 27 only one councillor was nominated, and there was no nomination for the mayoralty. It was stated by a former Mayor that the law provided for the Mayor carrying on the business of the borough along with the one councillor who had been duly nominated and declared , elected unopposed. Public opinion was aroused. It was stated that someone had discovered that the law (a new one) allowed such a faux pas in municipal government. If so there is something wrong with the law and it should be put right.—l am, etc., Balclutha. Disgusted. [The position, as explained to us by an authority, as set out iri the Municipal Corporations Act, 1933, is that iri the case referred to only one councillor and the Mayor of Balclutha were in office on November 18. This would not constitute a quorum, and no business could legally be transacted until a new Mayor and additional councillors were appointed after an election for the extraordinary council vacancies had been held as set out in the Act. The salary or honorarium of the Mayor cannot be changed under the Act while he is in office. A new council, when constituted, may change the honorarium of the new Mayor. This is done by the Dunedin City Council. A Mayor holds office until his successor is installed unless the Mayor dies, resigns,'or is otherwise barred from holding office. —Ed.. ODT.]