PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN THE MUNICIPAL ACT.

Evening Star, Issue 3211, 5 June 1873, Page 2

PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN THE MUNICIPAL ACT.

At last night’s meeting of the City Council, the following important report by a special committee was read :

Your committee has the honor to report having carefully considered, so far as one meeting would allow, the several subjects which, in the opinion of your committee, should form main features of the “ Dunedin Municipal Act, 1873,” shortly to be submitted te the General Assembly of New Zealand. The Council having already affirmed the desirability of obtaining a new Dunedin Municipal Act at the hands of the General Legislature, to supplant or override the conglomeration of Ordinances, and Amendment Ordinances, Acts of Assembly, and Amendment Acts, which comprise the present local municipal law, your committee is desirous that the new Bill may be drafted to suit the progressive requirements of Dunedin, and considers that many provisions of the “Otago Municipal Corporations Act, 1867,” may, with advantage, be retained. Your committee recommends that in the new Act provision be made as follows 1. That the City be divided into four wards, but that the present boundaries of the wards be revised or altered, as may bo hereafter determined.

2. That there be three Councillors for each of the four wards.

3. That the Mayor be annually elected by the Council, and from the Council; but though making this recommendation, your committee is desirous that a full expression of opinion should be enunciated thereon.

4. That the Mayor or Chairman shall have a deliberative and a casting vote both in Council and in Committee.

5. That the Council may appoint any general committees, with a condition that if the Mayor be appointed on any committee he shall be chairman of such committee.

6. That seven members shall constitute a buorum of any meeting <4 Gounod,

7. That the valuators or assessors be appointed by the Council. .... 8. That the City Auditors be elected by the enrolled ratepayers. 9. That plurality of votes be provided for to the extent that one person may have one or three votes, not more, m any one ward, according to the amount for which he may be rated in the ward. A ratepayer assessed at L6O or under, one vote ; ditto between LSO and LIOO, two votes ; ditto over LIOO, three votes. 10. That the maximum limit for general City rates bo 2s fid in the £ on the annual value.

11. That special rates be authorised for special works in separate wards, such special rates to apply only to the ward or ward* in whi'di the works are to be executed.

12. That the borrowing power of the Council b* limited to L 150,000. Finally your committee requests authority to have the new Municipal Bill drafted forthwith, after which the same will be submitted to the Council before being remitted to the Legislature. Your committee is desirous that the subject should be fully discussed in Council, and suggests, therefore, that tho_ adoption of this report should be held over until next meeting of CounciL The suggestion of tho committee was acted upon.