MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 1803, 7 October 1873, Page 2

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

At the meeting of the Municipal Council on Friday, 3rd inst., His Worship the Mayor and ail the Councillors were present. His Worship was authorised to obtain, after conference with the Inspector of Surveys, the necessary stones for the various survey points in the municipality. The tender of John Thomson for kerosene, and that of P. Krown for cartage, were accepted. A memorial from certain ratepayers, relative to the extension of Tay street, was received. The following suirs were ordered to be paid : — For breaking metal, £59 11s 6d ; cartagj, £26 ; pay sheet of Fire Brigade, £19 is ; salary of Inspector of Nuisances, £7 10s ; monthly pay sheet, £119 9s ; M'Callum and Co., timber account, £46 3s 7d ; Cooper and Co., £29 6s 6d ; Cleave, £36 ; W. Brown, £1 13s ; Railway, haulage of metal, £16 4-3 ; Huffadine and Bath, £4 Us 3d ; A. Brown, £11 6s ; John Thomson, £5 Is 4d ; A. Wutaon, £4 12s 6 i ; Erskine, £8 5s Id ; Craig and Gilmour, £1S Is ; Bain and Co., £18 13s. Alter a iong discussion on the question of the advisability of retaining the entire services of the Town Survtyor, on account of the growing extension of the works of the municipality, the mutter was allowed to lapse for the present. Councilor Mitchell moved — That a committee be appointed, consisting of Councillors Hall, Black wood, and Mitchell, with His Worship as chairman and convener, to consider and report upon the question of dividing the town into wards ; their report to be presented within six weeks. Ho said, in speaking to the motion, he would in the first place remind the Council that the promoters of the formation of the municipality were in favor of wards, and only deferred urging their establishment in consequence of the absence of data on which to found an equitable distribution of seats. Now that sufficient statistics were to hand, two years' rates having been levied and paid, and the third being on the eve of collection, the only valid reason for the post; ponement of the subdivision of the to«n into wards no longer existed. The municipal system in the Colonies, as well as in the old world, recognised the ward system as the best mode of electing representatives. If any municipality existed in which it was held tlvit, owing to its limited extent, it was not worth while to subdivide it on the ward system, that place was not ripe for municipal government, and its wants would be suitably met by its annexati >n to the nearest Road Board district. Tho system of one borough, as in our municipality, was open to the grave objection that it admitted of a small section of the community obtaining an undue amount of power or representation in the Council. Supposing for example that Dee and Tay stra t ratepayers were to unite, they could put a majority into the Council to spend the whole ra^es of the town on any particular street or part, to the neglect of the remaining portions. Such a thing was possible, for the bulk of the ratepayers taking an interest in municipal elections either resided or had their business premises in one or other of those streets. To say that such a combination has not yet existed, is no reason against the possibility of its occurrence. The principle that none should be qualified to vote in a ward except ratepayers therein, he considered the best safeguard against such possible combinations. Under the ward system decisions of the Council as to expenditure would be arrived at with more confidence, and might be more fairly taken as those of the town. If a .majority of .the. Council so- elected agreed on a ■ large expenditure ' for, say, g'as • or water \rorksj it might be concluded that they reflected the opinion of the majority of the citizens, because the representatives of subdivisions would each be aware of the dominant views in their, particular wards on all leading questions. He trusted the Council would support hi3 motion. It would bo noted that in the constitution of the committee he had included two old and two new i members of the Council. j Councillor Hall seconded the motion, whichi was carried on the voices. \ Councillor Blockwood moved that His Honor; the Superintendent be requested to have the land i situate on the north bank of the Puni Creek and the continuation of Tay-sfcr eet, surveyed at once

in accordance with the.. .flTan Ijißg??^*^ 16 Council table, marked A.andjnilmfeer&d bloclftjij, with the view of the saidland being sold' at jthei* earliest possible opportunity, and that 'the. plan] referred to be sealed with the seal of the Corpora-' 1 tion and forwarded to the Superintendent with the foregoing resolutionl Councillor Mitchell seconded ' the motion, "aind a |lobg. 'discußSicra resulted thereon, terminating, in {the c&rryingjrof Hhe-Tnof ion by fire ayes against thregunoes. >^Eis Wrf^shjp h^tim-ifcad hia irste>ition + tovfers«'jd-with the r^solutiiniti^'d.issenfc th-^refrom Irfwritin?. By this design the"^oouncilha9 re-afficmad the iaI expediency of the crescent proposal.