MUNICIPALITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1920, Page 5

MUNICIPALITIES.

NEW POWERS PROPOSED.. . ]■ pILL BEFORE PARLIAMEN^v^ By Telejrsph.—Press Assoclitl«, «.;''';"'■ Wellington, Last Nighfc,fl , In the House of Representatives tbjM evening, the Hon. G. J. Anderson ttOnfl the second reading of the Municipal CH*H porations Bill, which, he said, WM i'tiH eolidating measure, as no such' legisuH tion could be passed, during thejWljM The Bill embodied suggestions mi4e|fl the two last municipal conferences, eIH would be referred to a, committee oIJJH House, by whom it might be. foftmH amended. An explanatory would be published in a few days, fr}llj*H would make clear the proposed ments. He hoped when the Bill.pafH back from the committee it VOUJ&|jH found the measure gave to 3H)SH cipalities many powers they did DOtlfflH TSr. Wright condemned' the' PtfttiH system of electing a Mayor by payers, which often resulted in ft t VMM unfamiliar with the work of * clpafity _being elected. The Htf>H should be elected by the Council, <N»H done in many cities of the~old worWagH Australia. He also suggested general government should be shorjn <|H the power to over-ride municipals i^B Mr. Sullivan argued that the pronmH in the Bill allowing Councils to trawjSH monies from special funds to a coipmH fund was a very dangerous one, befagH there was a temptation to carrying on trading concerns prices of products up. in order to monies with which to strengthen mon fund. Those availing themaelvjH of municipal trading concerns titled to benefit from their success jH cheaper products. He combated posal under which a Council would ffl^^B | its Mayor, and urged the. necessiW ;^H i prdvision by which electors would ; placed on the roll. Greater PtwH should be given municipalities w 4U<jH more freely into trad:ng concerns n ; j(H to reduce the cost of living. ~^*fl Mr. Sidey complained that the proposals were not in the Bill at «11, were coming down in a a few days. The proceeding say the least, extraordinary, and seen^H | to indicate that the Government not ready with their own legislation. ( Mr. Fraser advocated an extension municipal enterprises. Especially they be empowered to establish cipal bakeries in tiic event of bakers refusing to produce bread,for tiM people except at their own price. PJtjH vision should lie made in the BIU anwH which a Council might be elected on '$M basis of proportional representation. .tfH Mr. Lysnar condemned the sugge*tM*H to elect a Mayor from wltMn ft, Cotf'H oil, and councillors on proportional l resintation. . i-ifl | The Hon. C. J. Parr thought provfiiuH for town planning should not be w*H bodied in this Bill. It special Bill applying to all locs| MiH The Minister, in reply, said neipljH ferred to go cautiously' in the 'of municipal trading. - So far there been no great de«ir<> expressed by bodies to go into trading, as in V e to a circular sent out by the deparH ment only one reply was r.selved. was from the Wanganui Council, wanted to make bricks. ' '<* H The Bill was read a second time, referred to a special committee. I^*i