RULED OUT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1775, 13 June 1913, Page 6

RULED OUT.

4 MR. FLETCHER & THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

DECISION OF THE COUNCIL,

Tho City Council last, night decided that Councillor Fletcher, as chairman of tho Markets-Committee, has no fight to sit as a member of tho Finance Committee. The questym came up in the following recommendation from the Finance Committee:—"That tho chairman of the Markets Committeo be .appointed a member of the Financo Committee," which the Mayor moved. The Mayor detailed what had occurred at the meeting of tho Finance Committee. Councillor Fletcher had come along to tho meeting, as lie was entitled to do as a member of the council, and he had taken part in some discussions, but in such a way that no exception could bo taken to his remarks. He had not said anything that could have prejudiced any question. All the business was douo without a division, so that no opportunity occurred of testing Councillor Fletcher's' right to be present as a. member of tho committee. At the conclusion of tho meeting he intimated to • Councillor Fletcher, in order that Councillor Fletcher might bo spared tho trouble of coming round again to tho committee meeting, that he (Councillor Fletcher) was not entitled to sit as a member of tlio committee. He bold that the Markets Committee was not a standing committee,, but a special committee. It had been set up as a special committee, and tho resolution to that effect had. never been rescinded. Councillor Fitzgerald then moved that Councillor Fletcher be added to the committee, and this • motion was carried by

tho committee. This recommendation 'lie would support. He recognised that there would b? a danger in having eight members on the Financo Committee, but he would promise that as chairman he would safeguard tho interests of the council in that regard. . Councillor Fitzgerald seconded the motion. If, ho said, there was to be an objection to eight members being on the Finance Committee—a majority of the council—lie thought one of tha members should be balloted out.

The Mayor: You can't decide that by ballot. It must bo by open votinsj. Councillor Fuller, while agreeing that Councillor Fletchcr would bo of service on tho Finance Committee, thought it would be dangerous to havo a majority of the members of the council on any committee. - Councillor Hindinarsli agreed - with Councillor Fuller's contention that a majority of tho members of the council on one committeo would be a source of danger. There was no doubt that the recommendation of a committee had great weight with tho council, and in view of this it would jeopardise the final authority of the council to havo a majority of members on any committee. Committees did rule the council to some extent, and it would bo wise to limit this practice to some extent at least. He would vote against tha motion. Councillor Luckio opposed the motion for the same reasons as those already advanced. ■ _ ' Councillor Fletcher said ho hoped the council would look upon th 9 matter, in an impersonal way. He had pressed .the question as a matter of principle.' He wanted to see the resolution of the council in 1909 to the cfi'cct that chairmen of Standing Committees should ba meml>ers of tho Financo Committee. The Markets Committeo had bean set up as a standing committee, and he produced the year-book as evidence. The'.Mayor: - That's not a statutory document. Councillor Fletcher maintained that the only thing that could bo done to put affairs in -order, if they did not wish to allow the chairman of the Markets Committee to ba a member of the Finance Committee, was to revoke tho resolution of the council to which he had referred. Ha .mentioned also that in 100S-9 tho Fire Brigades Committeo -had consisted of eight member, and no objection had been raised.to tho practice. Councillor Tregear, Councillor Irost, and Councillor Godber opposed' tho motion. , Councillor Buddie moved that tho clause be amended to Tead as follows: —"That the Finance Committee consist of seven councillors, dad that such seven be elected bv thio council from among the chairmen of the eight committees." Tho Mayor ruled that this, amendment could not bo put without .notice, and was therefore out of order. . . . ' The motion was lost on tho voices.