NEW COUNCIL COMMITTEES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3227, 25 May 1911, Page 4

NEW COUNCIL COMMITTEES.

SHOULD THEY BE LARGE OR

S!-/! ALL?

AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

During last night’s meeting of the Town Council, the Mayor moved that the following committees be set up for the year:—

Sanitary Committee: Crs. Collins, Pettie. Harris, Darton, and the

Mayor. & Abattoir Committee: Crs. Wade, Brown, Pettie, Collins, and the Mayor. Works Committee:. Crs. Smith, Brown, Wade, Webb, Sawyer, and the Mayor. Finance Committee: Crs. Pettie, Harris, Darton, Collins, and the

Mayor. Cr. Collins said he understood that it had always been a rule in the Council to put the youngest member on the Sanitarv Committee. He considered it was a mistake to take Cr. Darton’s name off the Works Committee, as that Councillor had done herculean work on that committee. He held that better results would be obtained by Cr. Darton taking Cj- Sawyer’s place on the W orks Committee, and the latter taking a place on the Sanitary Committee. He moved as an amendment that the whole Council be appointed a Works Committee. He thought it would be unwise to appoint new Councillors to a committee involving such important issues as would have to be dealt w.th by the v\ orks Committee at the present juncture. Cr. Sawyer seconded the amendment, remarking* that he considered such a course would be in the interests of the Council.

Cr Darton supported the amendment, stating that the work was alogether tco much to be placed in the hands of the new Councillors.

Cr. Pettie said that the Works Committee was ov far the most important committee on the Council. The Abattoirs Committee was in comparison a sinecure, and only necessitated a visit of inspection about twice a year. Cr. Daiton: I suppose that is why the old Councillors have been put on it. Continuing. Cr. Pettie said that in appointing the whole Council a W orks Committee a great deal of time would be saved and meetings of the Council could be got over by 10 o’clock, as everything would be ready and decided upon. Cr. Brown also supported the amendment.

Cr. Smith said that when this matter had come up a week ago, he had held the opinion that it would be a good idea to have the whole Council elected to the Works Committee. He was afraid that if small committees were appointed good results would not be obtained. , After the committee had spent perhaps hours in going into matters, it would have to be brought before the Council and the whole question threshed out again. If the committees were made strong enough, so that their recommendations could be carried when brought before the Council, much time would be saved in needless discussion. Cr. Harris said he considered the committees suggested bv the Mayor were composed cf practical men. If the whole Council were appointed, there would be too much eloquence, and he was afraid but little work would be. accomplished. Cr. Wade considered that by specialising the committees they could get better results. Large committees, in his opinion, were always the most difficult to get together. He favored the appomomeni- of a- Works Committee composed cf practical men. The names His Worship had suggested were those of practical men, who had an interest m the town, and he thought they could be relied upon to- do the best in the interests of the borough.

The Mayor said the work of the committees in the past hod not been satisfactory. There had, as Cr. Harris had stated, been too much eloquence. He considered the whole Council would prove unwieldy as a Works Committee. On the amendment being put, Crs. Pettie, Collins, Darton, Brown, Smith, and Sawyer voted for it, and the Mayor, and Crs. Harris, Webb, and Wade against. The amendment was, therefore, carried.

The Sanitary Committee, ns proposed by the Mayor, was agreed to, with the exception that Cr. Sawyer’s name was substituted fer that of Cr. Darton. After discussion the committees were eventually constituted as follows: Sanitary Committee: Crs. Collins, Harris, Pettie, Sawyer and, the Mayor. Abattoirs Committee: Crs. Wade,

Brown, Harris, Smith, and the Mayor

’Finance Committee: Crs. Pettie, Harris', Darton, Collins and the Mayor.

Special Committee: Ore. Smith, Brown, Pettie, Wade, Webb. Sawyer,. Collins, Darton and the. Mayor.