Municipal Law.

Thames Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 10501, 17 December 1903, Page 1

Municipal Law.

Tlhe ■p«use>inig; of . the Munkii'piaH Corporations Aat of 1900, which, was on a very coiniprehenisive. scale,, did not by any means .comipletely filL the measure of reform' required to pu'. outf municipal law on a. satisfactory footing. Some necessary amendments worer made 1 in 1902, and hist session still another amending 1 Aci':--was passed- Ifc provides that where an elector ha.si a> (rating 1 and another qualification- his name shall be entered! on the district elecitora list in respect of " his rating qualification Where the population, of. a borough (whether*. 'divided or" Tjjnidiviidlad) eec- ; ceedsi 30,000, the Council shall consist of not less than, twelve nor moi;o than ■21 . members', exclusive of the ■Mayor. Section 6 of the Act of; 1902, fixing til© number of oounicillorisi in. ai ', united, borough; at not less than 12 nor more 'than 21, isi repealed. Wlion . the Council of a.n. undivided borough- increases the nuirnber of its members the whole Council need not go oiuit of officio, andl it will only 'bu necessary to elect 'sufficient to mako up the increased number. The Mayor will ciotoio into office on tho first Wednesday in May following his election, and new! comirniittees of tho . Council miust not be made until the new Mayor lias taken office. The trouble that occurred! in oo.nnOTt.icvn with the attestation of the Mayor of Palmeriton North last year will bo obviated in future by a new provision, that tho act of taking: or attesviinigl the declaration! of any Counciillor or -Mayor" within the meaning of sub seicitiion 2 of section! 52 oftb© pr'.ntipal Act. Ai .aunwber of amendments, some of themi of a technical nature ■are made in the Aicifa of 1900. ' Section 63 of that A,ct provided that . local authorities may unite in ap- ! pointing 1 Joint, Standing, or Special t Committees foil any .puinposesi "oon- . nertteid with any special district ' whichi extends into eacih of their disr ( ;triot»." Tlie words '"'connected .with," etc-, ha.ye been struck out,.and j for themi .are substituted "in. which these local authorities are jointly in tares'ted'. iAn. obvious niiistake in Section 354 of the Aiot of 1900 is rectified, .and! instead of a person being only allowed to exhibit notices "in" 'any 'building 1;, or structure, ot place ownted oi* occupied by him, lie may! now exhibit 'smcili noticja "on" the building, etc. Subject to the disqualificiationi proviisions of Section 51 of the Act of 1900 every elector is qualified for ejection, as Councillor. The minute book of the Council is U be oipen for inspection without fee duiring the Council's office hours by any oounciillor 1 or iTiatepayer, or ;.m----any. creditor of the .'CorpOTation. ' Powerl is givien to the Gov,ei-non\ by. Protclamation, on the petition publicly notified of the Cound.l, to alter j the boundaries of a borough so as t■> include any adjacent land reclaimed feonii the section, or any landl tint ought reasOnaHy to Ibe included in the borouglii, and on which there are no electors. Where a borough is formed by tlie uniotb ol two or more ■boiroughs, the special powers belonging -to either of such boropghs may be etxeitoised! by the Coumoil of the united iborougfh'. Section 27 of the amending! Ale*, 1902, provided for an oipeti space' of not less than 300 superficial feet being; provided at the iside or .rear of every! new dwellinchiousei erected in 0 borouigih- This Act now provides that that open I space must be maintained! while the jsLbe is ocictuipied by the dwellingjhouisc 1 The pirovasionisi of section 415 of the Act of 1900, validating bylaws then I in' fortiei, a.re to aipply to'all the 1 boa*ouigbs mentioned in the first schedule of rthat Act, viz., all the boroughs nt that time i D esistenee'. Addition-nl j iby-law-making powers a,re oonferrel lon Coaiaieils. Ai Council may make by-laws for regulatingl the width of , wheel tires; the weight of engines 0: other vehicles! wh'vcihi shall be permitted to crossi any bridge within the borouigh ; the times when the 1 route by which traction, eniginesi m;ay be allowed to jvass ■ alongi thiei streets : the pace and times at which horses, cattle, 'engines:, or 1 vehicles shall cross any bridge within the borough; and the display of posters: or other advertising, devices. Any surplus from the Waterworks tvcioount maiy be'i' transferred to the borough. The Council is given power to .construct cycle' tracks and: make regulations for their use, a,nd a penalty not exceeding £5 may be imposed on any one who, except for the piufrpose of obtaining access^ to any pi'emises, drives)^ any vehicle, vid.es), of leads any horse, or wilfully fllilowsi any horse or other Ijeast to stray ob the'track. Finally, the Actprovides that where a reareatioui re--sen'fe isi leased by the Cbuneil, the lessee miust not d'-'eat on it any dKvellingho^ise or business premises'-