CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 123, 27 May 1938, Page 6

CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES

THEIR IMPORTANCE IN CIVIC AFFAIRS

The Wanganui City Council meets to-night to elect committees. Although an election of a council arouses keen interest in a municipality like Wanganui, comparatively few people maintain that interest throughout the years the council is in office. A three-year period of seeming com plac«NM'y is only disturbed annually by the arrival of the rate demand. Ac that period councillors great and .small are rarely thought highly of by anyone. Probably the interest taken in the council's doings in Wanganui will be keener than usual for the next three years, however, in view of the keener division of representation. If ♦hat is so it will be all to the good. Meetings Open With Prayer Few people understand as fully as they should the procedure the council adopts to expedite its business. Being a body of major importance, presided over by the chief magistrate of the city, it has certain functions to fulfil to maintain appropriate dignity. All council meetings are opened witn prayer. The Mayor, adorned with Mayoral chain of office, is ushered in by the town clerk, the waiting councillors and staff rising. His Worship and the council remain standing until the prayer is read by the clerk; •'Almighty and Eternal God, we acknowledge with gratitude the favours Thou hast bestowed upon this, our city, and we humbly pray Thee to continue to bless it with Thy Divine guidance and protection; and grant unto this council such powers as will enable it to govern aright the affairs of this city, to the welfare of its people and to the glory of Thy holy name." This simple and dignitied opening was introduc?d by Mr. N. G. Armstrong just prior to the end of his term as Mayor in 1935. Once the meeting is open, the council proceeds to deal with the various subjects listed on the order paper. Study of the order paper gives indication of the importance of committees. They are appointed to deal with various matters of detail, and the great bulk of the time of a councillor is taken up in attending committee meetings rather than meetings of the full council. Long hours are worked on the committees, and decisions are arrived at which form recommendations to the full council. When the report of each committee comes up for adoption, it is within the province of the council to have each clause dealt with separately. That rarely, if ever, happens, but very often certain clauses do not meet with unanimous approval and they are challenged at the council table by some councillor moving an amendment to the adoption of the committee’s report. It is usual for the chairman of each committee to move] the adoption of the report made by 1 the particular committee he presides over. Once the ipotion for adoption is seconded the report is open for discussion, and if there is no amendment the report is adopted, the council thereby signifying its approval io what the committee has done. It thus often happens that in the space of half a minute the council unanimous-

ly gives approval to a long list of recommendations, which have taken committee members long hours of debate and adjustment to arrive at. Committee Chairman Important Chairmen of committees fill important positions. A Mayor can be likened to a Prime Minister and his chairmen to his colleagues in a Cabinet. By placing full reliance on his chairmen, His Worship can be relieved ot a great deal of administration routine.

Mr. J .Siddells, the only member of the present City Council who had a chairman’s office in the council which has just vacated office. Mr. Siddells was chairman of the Library, Art Gallery and Opera House Committee. He has taken a lively interest in civic government for many years and at one period was Deputy-Mayor. Matters affecting the trams, for instance, can be handled effectively by the committee, subject, as it always is, to the overiding power of the full council. Electing the personnel of commit tees is the function of the full council. It is usual for His Worship to give a lead as to who he wants on his committees, but the council has the right to add to, delete or otherwise amend the list he brings down. The same applies to the appointment of Deputy Mayor. It has been an unwritten practice on many occasions to automatically elect as Deputy Mayor the councillor topping the poll at the elections, but that is purely a custom, not a right. The appointment of all committees and all representatives of the council on other bodies, such as the Fire Board, rests with a majority of the council