Loan Scheme Lost.

Patea Mail, 7 June 1882, Page 3

Loan Scheme Lost.

WHAT NEXT?

Voting on the proposed loan of £5,000 for borough improvements took place yesterday. The poll closed at six o’clock, having been very quiet all day, and Mr Eyton, reluming officer, handed to the Mayor the following result, it being the Mayor’s duty under the Act to declare the result: For the loan scheme ... 101 Against ... ... ... • 73 Informal ... ... ... 2 Majority for loan ... 28 The Mayor read clause 10 in the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act 1880, which says: “If the total number of votes for the proposal exceeds one-half the total number of burgesses, the resolution in favor of the proposal shall be deemed to be carried.” He said there being 206 burgesses on the roll, the total number of votes for the loan was 3 short of the required majority of 104 votes to carry the proposal ; therefore he must declare it lost by the ballot.

We may point out that if the old Act had been in force, as it was until two years ago, the above voting would have shown a sufficient majority to carry the scheme ; for the provision then was that “ If the number of votes for the proposal exceeds the number given against it by one-fifth,” the resolution shall be deemed to be carried. The 101 votes given yesterday would exceed by more than one-fifth the number given against. The Amendment Act, however, requires a larger proportion of the ratepayers to actually record their votes to legalise a loan scheme.

A warm discussion arose in the Council last night on this subject. The Mayor announced the result of the poll, and said others might now bring up a loan scheme if they wish to have one. He would promise his ready assistance, but would not himself propose another scheme. Councillor Mahony complained that a resolution was proposed before the Engineer had prepared plans for this scheme, directing the Engineer to report on the cost of forming Bedford-street the full width, as his first duty, yet ,no report to that effect had been made to the Council. This ought to have been done independently of the Engineer’s report on the Mayor’s scheme. The Council would then have known what that street could be made for. Why was it not done?

Mayor replied that this raised the whole question of procedure In placing the loan scheme before the Council, and then before the public. He explained at length the action taken, and argued that the Council had plenty of opportunity to move resolutions on the Engineer’s report, if they disgreed with it. They did not move, and he had no alternative under the Act but to take the scheme to a public meeting. I maintain (he said) that you as a Council have had every opportunity the Act provides you shall have to consider this matter, that no advantage has been taken, and that you had the plans before you more than two months. Councillor Gibson argued that the Act intends that in making a map of the borough, it shall be a map made to their satisfaction as regards levels and grades. Otherwise it would be the Engineer’s map, but not the map of the Council. The Act means that the map must be adopted by the Council.

Mayor; No; show me that in the Act, and I will be satisfied. Councillor Gibeon: Show me anything against it.

Mayor : I think it is a wise provision

of the Act. Councillors are not Engineers. Councillor Milroy: Yon stated that in committee nothing was reported. Did yon not twice ask if some one would move the adoption of the report ? Mayor: Most certainly not. Councillor Taplin : I don’t remember it.

Mayor: I certainly asked several times if you had anything to propose, and Councillor Black said, “ Will not this have to go to a public meeting ?” I said that would be the next course. His answer was, “ Then what is the use of wasting our time on If ?”

Councillor Aitchison: Your statement is most extraordinary, unreasonable, and illogical, for X infer that the town is to be handed over to the care of the Engineer—map, levels, grades, and everything. The Council is to submissively accept everything he may choose to lay before them. I hold that the Engineer is the servant of the Council, and that his duty is to prepare the street plans to the wishes of the Council,

Mayor: Emphatically no. Every Councillor might have a pet scheme. Councillor Aitchison : If the Engineer is to be supreme, the Council is a useless encumbrance.

The discussion continued at length* The Mayor complained that Councillors raised objections on all sorts of points, and had shown little disposition to discuss the loan scheme in a fair spirit. He complained that Councillor Milroy bad taken estimates from the committee and stated them on, a public stage, and that some persons had been misled by figures being wrongly stated for particular works.

Ci' Milroy : Would you rule a motion oilt of order if a Councillor moved that these levels or any portion be disapproved of ? Mayor ; I have asked you to allow me to take a legal opinion. Cr Gibson : And the Council objected. Mayor : Then until I am legally advised as to power of adopting these levels, I shall rule any motion out of order.

Or Mahony : lam sorry to see the Mayor losing the confidence of the Council.

Councillor Adams : Is this question of levels to be hereditary ? Mayor: I intend to rule that until I obtain a legal opinion I cannot put a motion for adopting these levels or otherwise. It has cost you two guineas for legal,-opinions up to the present. Councillor Dixon: If the Mayor takes a legal opinion against the wish of the Council, I should disagree with paying the bill. Mayor: I am glad to hear that remark. You will not allow me to take a legal opinion. Then I will get one at my own cost, in writing, from one of the best lawyers in the colony. The discussion was by no means ended at this stage, though nothing resulted but talk and angry words. The Council adjourned till next Tuesday.