MUNICIPAL LAW.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1821, 6 August 1913, Page 5

MUNICIPAL LAW.

THE NEW BILL,

MAYOR FAVOURS PROPOSALS,

Considerable discussion i:i municipal ciroles lias been raised by tho Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, circulated on Monday. One of the most important provisions is contained in Clause b, which provides that the members of a council shall elect a Jlayor from anion; their number, at a meeting held lor the purpose 011 tho iiMG Wednesday in May in every year. Seen by a Dominion reporter yesterday, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) favoured tins clause in preference to the present system of direct election by the people. Personally he thought that the election of Mayer by the council would open up a new vista in municipal government in 2fevr Zealand. The proposed system . was universal in England since the inception of municipal government. The election of-Mayor from and by tho council would bo an incentive for citizens to come forward to serve tho city, as there would ' be a fair opportunity for all to servo in tho higher office. Tho .'proposed system was no less democratic in reality than the system now in vogue, for tho councillors themselves, olectcd every two years, were a reflex of popular opinion, and popular opinion, -would .bo reflected in their choice of Mayor. . Further. Mr. Luke thought the new system v<Sild encourage men to serve the city instead of striving to riso to the eminence of chief citizenship on the tido of the popuilir vote. In another way the proposed. reform would certainly do (rood —in tending to remove an existing feeling of dissatisfaction among councillors at having to be superseded at times by practical outsiders m municipal service. In reply to a question about the political element in municipal 1 politics, the Mayor said that it was impossible to removo this altogether, but the constitution. of a council elected by universal franchise wns a sufficient guarantee of. tho "representativeness" of tlio Mayor to ho ejected by the councillors. The Mayt>T believed tliat the office of aldermen should be established in civic government ns the reward for long and faithful service in the interests of the city. The proposed trading powers under the Bill, the Mayor thought, were matters which woul.l affe-jt more particularly boroughs that had- municipal gas undertakings. and he. thought it absolutely right that they shomld. liavo the power to sell coke or coal. There were also places in the country where citizens had a difficulty possibly,in getting their coal, because tho small traders in fame townships weTe not particularly interested in rettin? the coal in large quantities, so that the peonle could eet it at a minimum cost. 'Phase trading powers, however, -would not affect cities to any extent. Resard.ing the conveyance of oassengers. the Mavor took it that the Bill aimed at the Jinking up of one lioroneh with the adjoining nnc, and would enable the council to institute a line of bui;;s. This seemed to him a vorr necessary authority 'which should bo given to municipalities, and would be generally welcome. Councillors' Views. Councillor J. Godber expressed the opinion that tho proposal by which members of the council should themselves elect the Mayor was a step in tho right direction, and one which ho had advocated for many years. To .his mind, the Bill might go a step further, and allow tho council to create aldermen, who would necessarily be the .'senior members of the council, who had devoted many years to its duties, and who would act as an advisory board. As to'tho electors' lists being made out for the ivholo borough and not for each ward, Councillor Godber said that that system was introduced when lie first entered'the council in 1901, and if made compulsory everyone would aim at improving the city as a whole,'instead of each ,ward battling against' th<s' other. He agreed that, tho council needed extended 'powers with regard to streets, and restrictions as to the formation of private streets, so as not to have narrow lanes, which would; merge into slums. ' ." ' | Councillor.l?. Fletcher, -when,asked by a /'reporter to' express his opinion" on the Amendment Bill, remarked, "I don't think my opinions Ire, worth publishing," and declined to &'!d more . Councillor b- M'Kenzie . was not in \ agreement: that tho council should elect tho Mayor, his argument being, that it wns> not right to deprive tlie people of that power, which tliey had exorcised in the past. There were two ways in which lie thought the (flection could bo carried out. The upoointment should be confineil to men who had served'on the council, as if the office was worth anything it should be the reward of past services and should be first offered to the councillors v.'ho ■were most eligible, and who had s;rrcd their apprenticeship to tin city's business. An alternative.was that a certain number of councillors 'should bp appointed flldennen, who should be elccted Mayor in order of. -seniority. He ivas aware that the Bill did not provide for the creation of aldermen, but he thought such suggestions should be considered and embodied in the Bill if found , feasible. ' In the past many Mayors had been elected at Wellington who were practically unacquainted with the procedure of municipal life, and in -such cases the Mayor had to serve his am>renticeship whilst inoffioe. Councillor M'Kenzie ad<kd that he did not feel inclined to discuss the clause re the electors' list,'inasmuch _as lie was chairman of the committeo which had been considering that and other matters, and which .would vtiry shortly be presenting an important report. Reverting to the question of the 'Mayoralty, Councillor M'Kenzie added that this suggestion was a remit from Wellington and Masterton at the last Municipal Conference, and was defeated, as ivas also the suggestion that tho term of offico of a Mayor should be for two years instead of. one, thus saving: heavy electioneering expenses. Councillor G. Frost .said that without casting reflections upon past Mayors, he was of opinion that bettor results would be obtained by the council eleoting its own Mayor, and it would '■ giva _ greater incentives to a better class of. citizens, to servo on tho council. The Mayor should have first-hand knowledge, cot only of the city finances, but. of tho city's requirements, and that could only be obtained by experience as a member of tho 'council. It was necessary, also, that tho Mayor should have a thorough knowledge of each department, as in the past gentlemen had taken office who had been absolutely .'ignorant of the council's business, and had consequently been dependent on tl;e departmental officers when answering questions. This was especially necessary now that the Wellington Council had embarked on such large'commercial concerns as the tramways, electric light, etc. The councillor pointed out that if that particular clause was carried, an addendum should bo made empowering the election of 1G councillors, instead of lj, so as to obviate the necessity of a by-election. Ho agreed that the council should have extended powers in regard to passenger traffic, but he did not think it would be wise to have a municipal monopoly. As to the repeal of. Sub-section 258, -which provided that the council should pay compensation to the owner of any building damaged by the fire.inspectors during the course of their duty, he thought this was a wise stop, as otherwise the fire brigade might b3 prevented from doing what was necessary for fear of putting the corporation to expense, in tho matter of compensation. Ho agreed, also, that power was needed for the regulation and supervision of boardinghonscs. Councillor Tregear was of opinion that it would be dangorouis to take the vote from tho people in the election of Mayor, as the retiring 'Mavor would, if elected by tho council, be temnted to nlay into tho 'hands of the councillors. He was. liowover. strongly in favour of the Mayor serving two years, as was the case with the councillors, rs a Mayor new to tho office had tn soend some time getting a knowlfdge of his work, and it -was hardlv fair that ho sho'ild havo to go to the poll again so scon after.