MUNICIPAL LAW.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 225, 22 September 1928, Page 10

MUNICIPAL LAW.

AMENDED BY COMMITTER

PURctnrcr of the roixs.

PUBLIC HALL LICENSES.

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

A select committee of the House of Representatives has made a number of changes in the Municipal Corporation* Amendment Bill. It has been placed within the discre- , tion of municipalities to direct whether persons who have not voted in a municipal election shall subsequently be removed from the electors' roIL The disqualification of councillors' clause is slightly modified to provide that a councillor cannot be disqualified by reason of his interest in a contract made before his election, the committee adding, "If before the election his obligation under such contract lias been performed and the amount to be paid by the council has been fixed." A graduated scale of water Tates, based on the annual value, is to contain a minimum of 10/. The committee has extended provisions regarding the closinsr of streets, so that ample notice shall be given to the public and plans shall be made available for inspection. If objections are received a meeting of electors is to be called to consider them. The clause giving councils control over licensing buildings for public purposes has been amended to provide that any licensee whose license has been suspended or cancelled can appeal to a magistrate, not, as formerly, to the Supreme Court. A council, states a new pub-section, may refuse to grant license for an assembly room, theatre, music or dancing hall if it is satisfied that tho applicant is not a person of good character and reputation. The committee has deleted a clause empowering the commissioners of sinking funds to advance moneys out of depreciation funds for the extension of an existing undertaking. All the new clauses of the bill relating to municipal accounts are operative from April I, IQ2O.