CITY COUNCIL ISSUE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 127, 30 May 1944, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL ISSUE

WHO WILL BE APPOINTED DEPUTY-MAYOR? CR. RUSSELL’S POSITION QVESTION OF COMMITTEES AND CHAIRMEN. One of the first duties of the newlyelected Wanganui City Council xvill be to elect a deputy-mayor and appoint, chairmen and members of committees. If the practice is adopted of electing the councillor xvho polls the highest number of votes as deputy-mayor. Cr. T. S. Russell (subject to the official scrutiny of the rolls and the voting on Saturday) xvill be elected to the position. During the recent election campaign there xvas some reference to the fact that the previous council did not folloxv that policy, and elected Cr. J. J. Scott, who xvas not the favoured councillor the public placed at the top of the poll. It is within the province of any council to elect whom it likes from its members as deputy-mayor, chairmen of committees, or as members of committees. Election of the leading councillor at. the polls as deputy-mayor became a practice in Wanganui several years ago, but it is a custom, not a xvritten law. A council can please itself. Usual practice is for the Mayor to recommend a deputy-mayor, chairmen and members of committees. It is then for the council to approve, or disapprove of his recommendation. Some interest xvill attach to Ihe ap - pointment of chairmen of committees. A vast amount of the internal work of the council falls on them.

In all. there are seven standing committees and txvo sub-committees. They are: Finance, Works, Reserves, Gas and Tramxvays Committtes, and the Opera House, and Library and Sarjeant Gallery Committee * (to xvhich

co-opted members are added), Airport (also includes co-opted members), Rates Sub-Committee and Sunday Night Concerts Sub-Committee. It is customary for the Mayor to preside over the three latter and also the Finance Committee. Cr. G. E. Bennett (Citizens), chairman of the Gas Committee, xvas returned and is likely to remain in that position. Other chairmen of commutes returned are Crs. G. P. Hawkins (Works) and S. J. Harris (Tramways), both Labour members. Whether they remain chairmen of these committees xvill depend on the nexv council. Two chairmen of committees defeat-: cd at the elections were Mr. W. Searle (Reserves) and Mr. J, J. Scott (Opera House, Library and Sarjeant Gallery Committee). These positions will have to be filled. In addition, three city representatives are appointed by the council to Ihe Wanganui Fire Board. For the past three years Labour members have held these"positions, but one of them (Mr. Scott.' has been defeated and another, Mr. A. W. Scoullar, did not seek re-election. The other city representative. Cr. G. P. Hawkins, is chairman of the board. The appointment. of Fire Board members is another duty to be fulfilled by the new council.

The installation of Mayor and the appointment of committees and council representatives on other bodies, such as the Fire Board. Museum. Plunket Society, St. John Ambulance, City Employees’ Sick Benefit Society, Technical College and Girls’ College is carried out at the first meeting of the new council. It is customary for this meeting to be held on the first Wednesday night following the declaration of the noils, made by the returning officer xvhen the official scrutiny has been completed. Apart from "the Fire Board, hoxvever, several representatives of the organisations referred to arc- coopted members.