RESOLUTION WAS ULTRA VIRES, SAYS CITY SOLICITOR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17879, 22 June 1926, Page 13

RESOLUTION WAS ULTRA VIRES, SAYS CITY SOLICITOR.

COUNCIL IS NOT ABLE TO HAND BUS CONTROL TO BY-LAWS COMMITTEE. Since the decision made some time ago by the City Council to delegate to the By-Laws and Finance Committee its powers to grant licenses under the Motor Omnibus Regulations, the City Solicitor has advised the council that it, had not the power to do this, and that the council itself must deal with the applications. At last night’s meeting of the council the matter was dealt with in committee. On resuming the Mayor reported that seeing the opinion of the council’s solicitor was that the resolution previously passed by the council delegating its powers under , the regulations to the By-Laws and Finance Committee was ultra vires it had been decided that the council as a whole should act as the licensing authority, and should meet as such on alternate Mondays, but that, the council would not begin to act as licensing authority until the Sujireme Court had decided whether the regulations were valid. In the meantime the buses would continue to run under the permits granted by the By-Laws Committee. The meeting of the By-Laws Committee, which was to have been held at 3.30 p.m. to-day to consider applications for motor omnibus licenses, has been cancelled.