The Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 10, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4171, 10 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 10, 1876.

Among the Parliamentary papers to hand is a copy of the Municipal Corporations Bill introduced into the House of Representatives by Sir J. Vogel. It is a fitting sequel to the work begun by him, for it should not be forgotten that to him is owing the intro duetion of the Municipal system into Otago, The preamble of the Bill explains its object thus :—“Whereas it is expedient to consolidate into one the several Acts in force relating to Municipal Corporations.” The scope of the Act may be understood by the enumeration of parts contained in the first clause. The Bill itself includes altogether 331 clauses, divided into twelve parts; the first of which contains general provisions, the second treats of boroughs, the third of burgesses, the fourth of “ the Mayor,” the fifth of the Council, the sixth of auditors, the seventh of ouster of office, the eighth of officers, the ninth “of the Borough funds”, the tenth of loans; the eleventh defines the powers of the Council in respect of streets, drainage, nuisances, waterworks, prevention of fires, lighting, tramways, markets, buildings for public meetings, &c., places of public recreation, charitable institutions, baths and washhouses, slaughter-houses and pounds. The twelfth part deals with and authorises passing bye-laws on a certain number of subjects which arc specified minutely and at great length. It is inapoo, sible to give more than a general notice of this important Bill, which we think should be very carefully compared with that adopted by our City Council, to which we hare more than pnee directed attention. The general Acts proposed to be repealed are the Provincial Corporations Act, 1865,

the Municipal Corporations Aot, 1867, with the Amendment Acta of 1868, 1871, 1872, 1871, and 1875, the Municipal Corporations Waterworks Act, 1872, a; d Amendment Act, 1873. By the 13th section the boroughs constituted under the Municipal Corporations Act, 1867, are “to be deemed boroughs constituted under the Act.” By the 14th, “the Governor may, by proclamation, declare any of the several places specified in th - third schedule, in which a Municipal Corporation has been established under the provisions rtf an Ordinance of the Province of Otago, intituled the Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance 1865, to ' e a borough constituted under this Act, from a day to be named in such proclamation.” Three conditions, however, will have to be observed. -I ho first is that a petition to become a borough under the Act shall he presented to the Governor, signed by not less than fifty ratepayers; (2) that before presentation it shall be publicly notified; and thirdly, provided—that no petition praying the Governor not to assent signed by a greater number of ratepayers shall be presented within two months after the notification. The third schedule contains a list of the boroughs constituted under the Ordinance, among which are I Huiedin and Port Chalmers. A place becoming a borough under the Act retains all its former privileges and rights, officers are retained in their positions, the valuation and burgess rolls are unaltered, and all by-laws and regulations remain in force. A district comprising one continuous area containing not more than nine square miles, with 250 resident householders, may be proclaimed a borough. A borough may be divided into not less than three nor more than six wards on petition of not less than one-fourth of the ratepayers; and any district adjacent may be incorporated into the borough on conditions similar to those provided for the constitution of boroughs; but the petition must be signed by one-third of the inhabitants of the borough or one-thiid of the resident householders of the district. Every person of twenty-one years of age, whose name is on the burgess roll, shall be a burgess of the borough during the time the roll is in force.

The voting power of burgesses depends upon their rateable property. If the valuation on the roll is less than fifty pounds annually, a burgess is entitled to one vote; if fifty and tinder one hundred, two vots ; if less than one hundred and fifty, three votes; if one hundred and fifty and less than three hundred and fifty, four votes ; and above that five votes. Non-payment of annual rates due on or before 31st December of each year to disqualify from voting ; but if rates are paid before the new burgess roll is certified and signed, the defaulter's name may be inserted on it.

Any burgess enrolled whose rateable property is of the annual value of £25 is eligible for the office of Councillor, unless he have been bankrupt or insolvent and has not obtained a final order of discharge, or is a traitor, convicted felon, perjurer, or infamous criminal, or of unsound mind, or holding an office of profit in the gift of the Council, or a contractor under .the Council, except as shareholder in a company or partnership of more than twenty persons. A person acting as Councillor, who is disqualified, becomes liable to a penalty of fifty pounds. Any person qualified to be a Councillor may be elected Mayor, who, at the time of his nomination, shall deposit ten pounds, which is to be forefeited should he not poll one-eighth of the number of votes polled by the successful candidate. Should the votes in his favor number one-eighth of his successful competitor Jiis money is to be returned if not, it is to be paid into the Borough fund. I The Mayor elect is not to be a Justice of the 1, Peace by virtue of his office, but may bo constituted one by the Governor. The appointment is to cease with his term of office, “and his jurisdiction is to be confined to the borough. In an extraordinary vacancy the Council may appoint one of their number to be Mayor, who is to hold office until a new Mayor is elected. Each borough is to have a Council in undivided boroughs, consisting of nine councillors, and in boroughs divided into wards, of three councillors for each ward. Three councillors are to retire annually in undivided boroughs, and in boroughs divided into wards the councillor who has been longest in office in each ward re ires; or if two or more have held office for equal periods, he who received the highest number of votes is to be deemed to have been longer in office than those who received a less number, or in case of equality of votes the Mayor is to decide who shall retire by lot. Many of these provisions should not be acquiesced in without careful consideration. Among those of doubtful principle are the clauses conferring plurality of votes in proportion to property, and of minor importance is the last provision that the councillor having the largest number of votes shall for the purpose of a new election be the first to retire from office. It seems to us rather an odd way of appreciating merit, and reminds one of the donkey races at Home, in which the last in is the winner.