TE ARO FORESHORE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5379, 24 June 1878, Page 2

TE ARO FORESHORE.

The City Solicitor has given the following opinion as to the position of Councillor Hunter and Councillor George in discussing and voting upon the Te Aro foreshore compensation question : “ I am of opinion that Councillor Hunter has, upon the facts laid before me, a direct interest in the matter under discussion, and would therefore be liable to the penalty provided by section 75 of the Act, if he took part in the discussion. If the resolution of the Council adopting the report of the Te Aro Reclamation Committee remain unresciuded, Councillor Hunter, in common with other owners of land on the foreshore, would receive compensation, whether entitled to it or not; whereas, if rescinded, and the proposition of Councillor Macdonald adopted in lieu of it, his receipt of compensation would be made dependant upon his establishing a right to it. “lam of opinion that Councillor George does not, ©n the facts stated, come within the section.

“ I think it right to intimate that tue questious submitted to me as above are more properly questions for the opinion of the private legal advisers of Councillors Hunter and George, but in obedience to the wish of the Council I have considered and advised upon them. “ War. Thos. Locke Travers, ‘‘City Solicitor. “June 21, IS7S” Mr. Travers seems to have made a mistake in supposing that the points he was asked to advise upon were more properly questions for the private legal advisers of Councillor Hunter and Councillor George. That may be the case as far as concerns those members of the Council personally, but the Mayor desired to be fortified by the opinion of the legal adviser of the Council before he took bo decided a course as to refuse to allow any Councillor to take part in the discussion or to vote. Tue matter is essentially a public one, and the City Solicitor was bound to advise upon it.