THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 149, 7 January 1902, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1902.

Some time ago a good deal of discussion ensued in Waimate over the aeiion of the than Mayor (Dr. Barclay) in insisting on having printed the building by-laws, which had just been passed in order to stop the erection of wooden buildings injhe inner area. Although a previous action brought against a local firm had failed by reason of the by-law not being thoroughly valid, councillors for some reason or other were averse to incurring the expense of printing. The Mayor, having taken legal advice on the subject, was aware that until the by-law 3 were printed and available for purchase by all burgesses'they could not be enforced, took no heed of a deßire that the by-laws be not printed, and ordered the work to be done. It iB unnecessary to further recapitulate the doings of that chapter in Waimate history—how the original bone of contention was driven out of sightby the storm ol irrelevant abuse 1 immediately hurled! at, the unfortunate >Mfty<stW ooly >iault was

that he was too progressiva for a stagnant town. Those troubled waters have sunk to rest, never, we hope, to be stirred again in such a manner. But as'we took an active part in the struggle, maintaining that the Mayor acted with perfect legality throughout, and had the best interests of the town at heart, we wish to draw attention to a parallel case which has just occurred in the North Island. An exchange says:—"Atlastnight'smeetingofthe Maaterton Borough Council, the engineer drew attention to the incomplete and unsatisfactory state of the Borough by-1 awm. Councillor Coradine mentioned that it was a serious matter. The by-laws were not available, and it was difficult for contractors to carry out wort without committing breaches of the Act, owing to the non-publication of the by-laws. The Clerk stated that the by - laws were in the printers' hands for publication, but wens not completed. Councillor Hollings (a lawyer) thought it was a more serious matter than the Council imagined. The Council were acting on by-laws which were practically not in existence. Persons could commit breaches, and the Council could not enforce punishment. They were a Council and not a Council at all. He moved that a "committee consisting of Councillors Chamberlain, Coradine, Ewingfcon, Eton, and the mover be appointed to complece the work at once and enquire into the delay. Under present conditions persons could defy the Council, and the nou-publication of the by-laws would be a sufficient defence. There wa3 gross misconduct or negligence somewhere. It was pointed out that a committee had previously been appointed in connection with the publication of the by-laws, but had not mot. It was finally decided that the latter committee see that the by-laws are at ouce published, and investigate the whole matter." When Councillor Holiidgs, a lawyer of some repute, made such a strong condemnation of the delay experienced, and mentioned that the Council could not enforce punishment for breaches of by - laws not printed and available for purchase, we should congratulate ourselves that Dr Barclay had backbone enough to hold out against the pressure brought to bear on him. Had he not oeen so determined, we might have found our "inner area " filled with wooden buildings, the result of which would have been to perpetuate the disastrous fires of the last couple of years.