KARORI BOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 41, 12 November 1919, Page 3

KARORI BOROUGH

MEETING OP THE COUNCIL. The Mayor (Mr. B. G. 11. Burn) presided ovor a meeting of tho Karon Borough Council held last evening, and there wero nresent:—Councillor J. C. Fulton, E. Harrison, J. Henderson, L. G. Porter, 'and P. P. Laurcnson. The ljorougli engineer reported that during tho past fortnight plans for tho erection of lli-ea dwellings within the borougli had been submitted for approval. lu connection with the proposed poll on the-question of amalgamation, the council desired to appoint a polling-place in the city, but before doing so the opinion of the' borough solicitor and of the solicitor to tho Municipal Corporation wero obtained, and the legal opinions wero that it was not according to the Act'to appoint a polling-place outside of the district, but such an appointment would not be liable to question unless there were wine irregularity, in which case in the event of proceedings the returning officer would be personally liable. ' It was pointed out that. the returning officer was a statutory officer, and. was onipowered to fix the pollingplaces, and may appoint a polling-place outside of the district, provided such was not-to the advantago of one sido or the other. Tho actual appointment of a polling-placo outside the district could not bo questioned. On tho motion of Councillor J. Henderson it was resolved that in view of tho legal opinions obtained the council acted ultra vires in passing a resolution ordering that a pollingbooth be appointed in the City of Wellington for tho coming amalgamation poll, and that that resolution bo expunged from the minutes. The returning officer announced that in view of the opinions he would not accept the risk of appointing a pollingbooth in tho city. The Mayor reported that, accompanied by Councillor J. Henderson, he waited upon tho Mayor of the city with respect to amalgamation. They desired to ask questions, but there turned out to bo so many that His Worship requested tho deputation to placo the matter in writing, and this had been done. Tho proceedings at tho interview wero published pi etty fully in the newspapers. The Mayor of Karon" expressed the opinion that tho borough bad no hope in any shnpo or form of getting any terms whatever. If the borough desired to amalgamate with the city it must bo unconditionally.