MUNICIPAL LAW.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 32

MUNICIPAL LAW.

AN AMENDING MEASURE

COUNCIL TO ELECT MAYOR

TRADING POWERS EXTENDED

(Froii Orn Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 4. The Municipal Corporations Act Amending Bill, which was circulated to-day, contains some provisions of considerable interest to municipalities and ratepayers. An important alteration is proposed by clause 5, which provides that the members of a council shall elect a mayor from among its members at a meeting to be held for the purpose on the first Wednesday in May in every year. In the case of an equality of votes the election is to he decided by lot in such a manner as the council may direct. This clause is to come into operation on April 1, 1915, while the outer clauses will operate as from January L 1914.

In the case of a divided borough it is provided that the electors’ list may be made out for the whole borough and not for each ward, in which case the ward shall be stated in a separate column of the list. Further, the original Act is amended to provide that every person who wilfully makes a false claim to have his name entered on the electors list shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £5. Local authorities other than borough councils entitled to use the district electors’ roll shall pay a fair proportion of the cost of preparation and printing. NEW BOROUGHS. A new method is introduced for constituting a new borough. A petition defining the area, signed by one-fourth of the persons within it entitled to vote at the election of any local authority and accompanied by a deposit of £lO, shall be presented to the Governor. The Minister of Internal Affairs, through a Gazette notice, then invites objections within one month of publication, and as soon as practicable thereafter the Governor shall direct a commission consisting of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the land district and the officer in charge of valuation district in which the area is situated to inquire into and report on the application and objections. If the commission reports that the district is suitable, but not otherwise, the Governor shall direct that a poll be taken on the question. If this poll is favourable, then the Governor shall by proclamation constitute the district a borough and fix its name. If the poll is unfavourable, no fresh petition shall be presented within two years. In the case of alterations to boundaries being denied, a petition signed by onefourth of the ratepayers shall be presented and reported upon by a commission constituted as before. If this report is favourable, then the Governor may, by Order-in-Council, make the alterations as he thinks lit. TRADING POWERS. It is provided that the council may establish, maintain, and regulate a service for the conveyance of passengers and goods to and from any place within the borough or with the consent of any neighbouring local authority between any place within the borough and any place within the district of that local authority, or the council may contribute out of the district fund to any such service established or maintained by any person or company or by any other local authority. This is not to authorise a council to construct any tramway or railway. The council may also purchase and sell coal or coke on such terms as it thinks fit. OTHER PROPOSALS. A union of boroughs may be effected notwithstanding that the limits of section 3 (c) of the principal Act are exceeded. These limits are that the borough shall not have a continuous area exceeding nine square miles and have no pioints more than six miles distant from one another. The Governor may authorise the council to lay off or permit to be laid off private streets less than 66ft, but not less than 54ft in width, provided they are not more than two chains in length. The Bill proposes to repeal sub-section 2 of section 258 of the principal Act, providing that if a building is damaged by fire inspectors in the execution of their duty is uninsured or insufficiently insured, the council shall pay compensation to the owner. Billiard room licenses may he refused if the council considers the locality unsuitable for such purpose. , The powers of a council in making regulations are extended to licensing electric wire installers, licensing and inspecting and regulating boarding-houses in which persons are lodged for a single night or for less than a week at a time, and for licensing sports grounds. In licensing buildings for public purposes the council may attach conditions as to the use in the building of any means of producing light or heat or for the safety of persons assembled in the building- " u