MUNICIPAL LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1920, Page 5

MUNICIPAL LAW.

THE AMENDING BILL. yOTING SYSTEM UNAMKBED) V'} ~ By Telegraph.—Pre«s AMOcUtlsa,| ' Wellington, Last ITifbt" - »; * The House of Representatives tO4 ■ night went into committee on tlie Ifuni* N cipal Corporations Bill. 1 '' Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leodor' of tin Op* position) said ho proposed to ampR 1 the Bill in its entirety, bufejw: tiSiMht (ho House should if th'o opportunity to enable tlie main cittei to take in tlieir outside bowajghs, tloogh! .i not actually contiguous. This wotfWldO away with a number of 1 small | local ?! bodies. They should endeavour ttf fcfcya greater cities wherever ttey, could 4o"*sj p-eatly reduce the cost* M mumcifal government. * i _ , Hf? The Hon. Sir William Harries *t*v& that was provided for. „ Mr. D. Gr. Sullivan (Avdn) suggested that the Premier should Insert in th« Bill a provision that people of £&usi« o cipal districts should have the right, 1 to.,t, determine by poll whether or not tSair , municipal elections should be held oQ tf-'. \ basis of proportional representation Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston IfyrUt), y objected to the power given .a 1«*I V. authority to increase rates, which' would have a tendency to induce CoMr F 1 cils to go on increasing the burden»;Of, the people without taking the trouble to §■ secure a re-valuation of the borough, . <• Mr. G. E. Statham (Dunedin Central)' *,5 asked if the Premier would aeofrpt an amendment empowering trustees to in*/' -i vest trußt funds .with Municipal *'■ cils. Often trust funds were Itfatg'in ' the banks earning no interest. On the ( other hand municipalities wanted , \ money, and were willing to pay for it, ■: so that the amendment suggested might . be of mutual benefit. ' , , The 1 first clause was passed \at MO ' a.m., and the Bill Ming largdjf a ebn> solidating measure, the rifljbtafeg j clauses were passed in quick auccft&ton. 1 ■ At Clause 17, Mr. P. Fraspr (Welling- iton Central) moved an giv- > ing an optional right to municipalities V to hold elections on a basis* of pro-i portional representation. 1 Mr. Massey said he could not accept * the amendment. It was no ''• ment on the present law. > • i %' Mr. Wilford said that while ha would gladly vote for a Bill to elect members , of the House on a basis of proportional' representation, he did not favor tila-' - amendment being inserted in thil BJU. >, The amendment should be inserted.in the Local Election and Polbj Act. Ho- * asked the chairman <>f comritittwi ito - ] rule on the point. Mr. Malcolm ruled the amendment of order, it being foreign to the fiil£ >. " At Clause 42, Mr. G. R. Sykes (Mks- \ terton) moved that in boroughs of not . pore than 2000 inhabitants, the entry * into a contract with the Council should'' V not disqualify a person from sitting ABB, » councillor unless the contract exceed* £SO. He contended that in boroughs many estimable men were eh tit *-i cut of municipal life because they were the only men in the town capable of ' supplying the borough with necessary, \*| work or material. f • ton Other members thought the' aaiendvyj ment would open the door to corruption. - and it was lost on the voices. . J At Clause 78, M». Nash moved to de- | lete the increased rating powers given" j to' Councils, which provoked a discus-' a sion as to whether the additional power ,] to rate would not be abused, and whether it would not be better to get, additional revenue by means of mora il frequent re-valuations. ' ■ -| On a division, the amendment was lostj. by 46 votes to 9. A few minutes after midnight, the " 274t1i clause and thirteen schedules > were passed through committee. On the House resuming, the Bill was read a third time. ■■!■<