WHO SHOULD DECIDE?

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9844, 24 October 1924, Page 2

WHO SHOULD DECIDE?

PROPOSALS THAT COUNCILS ELECT MAYOII-S.

DEFEATED AT MUNICIPAL CONGRESS.

AUCKLAND, Oct. 23. A proposal that mayors be elected by the. council instead of by the Hectors was the. subject of brief discussion at the Municipal Conference. The remit was urged by Air Entrioan (Auckland) on behalf of Foxton. He said tlie local bodies represented were the only ones in the Dominion without tho privilege’ of electing their own .hairman. The practice of a body electing its Mayor was in uso in Great Britain. Mayors would get a certain amount of training on the council.

Air Tapley (Dunedin) said the remit would be a very retrograde step. In other cou-ivfcries the, results lmd not always been desirable. It should bo the privilege of the people to select the Mayor.

Mrs Gordon (Te Arolia) said that while tho proposal might do for the big cities it would be useless to the small local bodies. The chairman said that it was more satisfactory to the Mayor to have boon elected and know he had the people behind him. Tho remit was defeated by- a large majority.

A further remit by Taihape that, if a. vacancy in the office of. Mayor occurs after one year from the biennial election, his successor may, at the option of the Council, he elected oithef by the council or by tho electors, was rejected. A further remit bv Dnrgaville that the Act be amended to makdprovision for a. general election of Mayor and Councillors every three years was carried.—P.A.