FOOTING THE BILL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2204, 17 July 1914, Page 7

FOOTING THE BILL

FOR CIVIC FUNCTIONS

PROTEST FROM AUCKLAND

At yesterday morning's session of tlio Municipal Conference, Miss Melville (Auckland City Council) moved in regard to unauthorised expenditure that Section 28 bo amended by substituting 2 per cent! instead of 1 per cent, (on the general rates) therein. The v solo lady delegate at Hie conference explained that Auckland had had to en- 1 tc-rtain rather lavishly last year on ac-' count of the fact that our previous Governor had finally left New Zealand from Auckland, anil the present Governor (Lord Liverpool) Iliad. , arrived. there. Consequently, the Auckland,, council liad been called upon to entertain these illustrious persons in a manner befitting the dignity of the City, and in - doing so it '-'/as thought to i>e absolutely, necessary, and no one at the council table had taken exception to it. As a result, the amount allowed by law for authorised oxpenditure was exceeded, and the balance-sheet had been "tagged." The matter had been explained, but the Auditor-General ■ had _ taken, a firm stand, and each of the' councillors had been called upon to pay £16 odd to make up the amount that had been overspent. In view, of the work put in by City Councillors for nothing throughout the year she thought the demand was veVy' unfair. The', speaker said that the amount-of unauthorised expenditure was inadequate in the case of Auckland, and would move that the amount bo increased.to 2 per cent. Mr. Vigor Brovn (Napier) supported the remit. Ho was quite in sympathy with Auckland realising the amount of entertaining that had to be done, and that would bo required to be done as New Zealand's maval base. Mr. R. T. Michaels (Auckland) made a spirited defence of the action of the Auckland Council; and dwelt upon the number of meetings that a councillor had to attend—two or three committee meetings every week apart from the council meetings. It was no sinecure as they all knew. He was one of these who had to pay up £16 15s. 2d., and he' thought, it was ;m unfair charge to make. Tliey could not very well avoid becoming presidents and vice-presidents of clubs as tliey all were, that was a' different matter, and he did not mind paying up. on that score, but the other charge was not a lair thing. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan (Petone) said' that the Auckland councillors knew ,the. law perfectly well, and if they had put their foot in it, it served them Tight. He strongly opposed the Tcmit, as ho considered the present amount of unauthorised expenditure quite sufficient for frills and flummeries. (Laughter and applause.) One representative of a small borough said he had' always considered 1 per cent, insufficient for unauthorised expenditure. Ho would support the remit even if it provided for 10 per cent. (Laughter.) The president (Mr. J. P. Luke) , said that the limitation to 1 per cent, was quite adequate, and a good, safeguard. In Wellington it amounted to £800 a, year, and they did not want -it increased. Other boroughs had to keep within the law and ho didn't know why Auckland should iiot. Mr. W. Hildreth (KaroriV was also opposed to tho remit which he described as "verv dangerous." • 'Die remit was carried on a show of hands.