THE MUNICIPAL AMENDMENT ACT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1453, 12 September 1885, Page 2

THE MUNICIPAL AMENDMENT ACT.

By telegram received last evening from Mr Mac.authctk, we learn that the Muncipal Amendment Act was yesterday read a third time without much opposition. The object of the measure is to secure against the risk of penalty Borough Councillors who supply goods m the ordinary course of business to the order of the Council, as now held, to be contracts within the meaning and interpretation .of " The Municipal Corporations Act, 1«76." We learn that it is also proposed to insert a similar clause m the Counties. Amendment Act, protectiug County Councillors, and Members of Road Boards from actions such as have lately been taken to recover penalties for alleged breaches of the Act. The new clauses referred t<J, as well as the Municipal Amendment Act, will be made to have a retrospective applicition, and would therefore apply to all cases now pending m Wanganui m which judgment , has been given against or confessed by the several defendants. The clauses relating to contracts will still be m operation, but the term contract will hare a more distinct, clear, and welldefined interpretation that at present, thus preventing informations being laid by persons, for the sake of recovering the penalties set forth m jthe Act. The prohibition m reference to honobfide contracts will of course continue to be m operation and applicable as before, a breach of the Act" still rendering the offender liable to heavy penalties as at present. , .