ELECTION OF MAYOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1133, 14 August 1913, Page 3

ELECTION OF MAYOR.

BY COUNCIL OR PEOPLE? The Hon. A. L. Herdman on Tuesday moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill, which, he said embodied proposals of the Municipal Conference. The most important proposal was the alteration of the method of election of the Mayors. The Bill, he said, proposed that the Mayor shall be elected by the Council from among its members at a meeting to be held on the first Wednesday in May every year. The cost of the last contested elections for the Mayor in four principal cities at the last election was :—Wellington ,£317, Christchurch Auckland ,£235, Dunedin (estimate) That expenddid not represent the cost of the Mayoral elections. There were all the smaller towns to be added. The Bill provided for the constitution of new boroughs and the alteration of boundaries of boroughs. Provision was also made for the removal of ambiguities in the present law. Mr T. H. Davey said he differed from the proposal to elect Mayors by the Councils. He favoured the election of the Mayor by the people every second year. If the election took place at the same time as election of the Council the Mayor would naturally come in and go out with the Council. He held that the provisions of the Bill with regard to impersonation at polls were impotent inasmuch as no provision was made for the imposition of penalties. Dr. Newman objected to election of Mayors by Councils. The suggestion came from the Municipal Conference, which was composed purely of Councillors who were anxious to get the appointment in their own hands. Mr T. K. Sidey failed to see why the present system of election of Mayors, which had stood the test of time, should be altered. Mr M, Myers moved the adjournment of the debate at 11.35, and the House rose. [The local Council favours the Mayor being elected by the people as at present.]