PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 1032, 12 August 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES;

THE TOWN-PLANNING BILL

By Telearavh—Press Association

WELLINGTON, Last Night

The House of Representatives tonight went into Committee on the Town-Planning Bill. Mr J. Alien objected to the section providing that 'after considering a scheme the Town-Pkuniing Board should report upon it to the Gover-nor-in-Council, and make recommendations, as it provided dual control. Be wa-s prepared to trust tho Board, and thought reference to the Governor-in-Council .should bo deleted. •Mr Myers .supported the objection. Mr Russell suggested that final authority in tho matter should be vested in a body answering to the English Local Government Board. The Minister might be President of this body. Messrs Davey, Wright, Luke and Witty objected to the power vested in the Governor-in-Council. The Hon. G. Fowlds defended the Board. As he proposed it, the Board answered to the expert officers of the ~ocal Government Board as at Home. Mr Anderson moved as an amendment that the Board, after considering a scheme, may approve it with such modifications as it may think fit. The Hon. R. McKenzie said that no one in the country had more consideration for the wish of the people than the Governor-inrCouncil. Mr Anderson explained that his amendment tended to move towards the protection of smaller towns. The Hon. G. Fowlds interjected that the oatch-ery against the Gov-ernor-in-Council was a futile one. It was a new thing to that the final seal of responsibility nhotild be on anyone outside the Ministry. The Governor-in-Council was a protection for the individual. Mr Russell said it was not a matter of making a catch-cry of the Governor-in-Council, but of fighting for the principle of local self-govern-ment. At what point were the powers of Ministers to cease, and how far .did the powers of the people go ? He <stood for local self-government. The early settlers had fought for and won it, and he intended to stand up for it. Messrs Sidey, Herdman and Davey thought there was too much Gov-ernor-in-Council in the Bill. The House divided on Mr Anderson's amendment, which was negatived by 34 votes to 29. After a lengthy discussion on clause 5 of the Bill, Mr Fowlds moved that progress be reported. The House rose at 11.50 p.m.