REVOLT IN CITY COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16515, 10 June 1919, Page 7

REVOLT IN CITY COUNCIL.

THE MAYOR'S RULING CHALLENGED. Ever since the first meeting of the ' new City Council "there has been a growing revolt on the part of councillors against the rulings of the Mayor (Dr. Tfcacker, M.P.), and this came almost to a head last night by a motion for the suspension of the Council's standing orders, in order that the Council might dissent from a ruling of the i Mayor's. However, his Worship adioit.ly managed to evade the issue, and ! calm descended upon the troubled ati mosphere of the Council Chamber for a very brief spaco. The trouble arose through the receipt ' of a lotter from tho Drainage Board notifying the Council of the proposed conference of local bodies which the Board had convened to be held in its j offices at 7.30. p.m. on Tuesday, July j Ist, to discuss the proposed formation iof a Metropolitan Board of Works. As : was anticipated, this proposal came >n j for some consuro from the Mayor, and ! one or two councillors. . Cr. Burguyne moved that Crs. Kcllur and Sullivan be appointed tne Council's representatives. Cr. Jameson seconded the motion. This conference, ho presumed, was only the opening of the ball, and lie di not see how they could cause any harm iby sending representatives. Mr \Val | Hill, chairman of tho Drainage Board, i was tho last man wishing to butt anyone's feelings. If. they did not do any- | thing beyond talking about thei matter> i they would never get any further. Ho hoped no feeling would be introduced. Cr Sullivan supported tho resolution, but thought it would bo just as well to suggest that tho conference bo held in tho City Council Chamber, with the Mayor of Christchurch as chairman. He agreed with Cr. Jameson as to tho necessity for a conference. He would go further than Mr Hill, and have but one central organisation to control the whole city. , Cr. Flesher said the proposal of the Drainage Board to put the City Council upon the same basis as the smallest ; local body was hardly equitable. Ho thought tho move should have come first from the City Council. Cr. Burgoyne: They.were too slow in coming forward. . Cr. Fleslior said he thought the Drainage Board could have handed over its central functions and the control of the river to the City Council, whilst its suburban functions could have been controlled by the suburban bodies. The only undertaking in the city of any consequence which was profit-producing was the Tramway Board, and the residents in the outside districts were not going to give up their representation on that body. He moved, as an amendment, that the Council participate in the conference if its representation were increased to five.

Cr. Beanland, speaking to Cr. Burgoyne's motion, said the reason why the Council had never seriously worried about tho affairs of tho Drainaere Board was because they were exceedingly well managed, Cr. Flesher was trying to damn the thing at the outset by suggesting a representation of five at what was merelv a preliminary conference. He would like to see Hie Mayor presiding at the conference, and he feit sure Mr Hill would willingly agree to this.

Cr. Burgoyne, speaking in reply, said it was immaterial to him who convened the conference, so long- as the thing was. given a start.

Tho Mayor said he was going to uphold the city's pride. (Hear, hear.) The Drainage Board had every right to take the lead in matters of drainage, as the Tramway Board would in regard to tramway matters, and the Fire Board in relation to fire matters. The proposed conference was, however, really one of Greater Christchurch. The Drainage Board's functions simply had to do with the sewers; it did not even provide the water to flush them with. Drainage was only one of the items which he had proposed to have discussed at a conference of local bodies. It was possible even now to hold such a conference without interfering with the Drainage Board, which was only one little bead in a big string of others. Cr. Langley seconded Cr. Flesher's amendment pro forma in order to allow Cr. Jameson to speak again, Cr. Jameson having wished, after Cr. Burgoyne had replied, to second Cr. Flesher's amendment, but being refused permission by the Mayor to do so. After Cr. Langlev liad seconded the amendment, Cr. Jameson rose to speak, but was ordered by the Mayor to re-, sume his seat.

Cr. Agar jumped up in protest against his Worship's action. "I subpit the Council must have its rights in this Chamber," he said to the Mayor to a chorus of "hear, hears." "You have ruled repeatedly that councillors must resume thSir seats. I know w© have the right to speak to that amendment, and .this Council must protect itself. You must rule not as you personally think, but according to tlio rules of debate throughout the world. His Worship said he would certainly not allow a councillor to speak to an amendment unless It was a ' privilege one, if he had already spoken to the motion.

Cr. Flesher raised a point of order under Rulo 31 of the Council's by-laws, which, he .said, stated that all amendments could bo spoken to by any councillor cscept the mover and seconder of the motion.

The Ma vor was shown the rule by the Town Clerk.

"What you said is quite right," ho admitted to Cr. Flesher. "I took it Cr. Burgoyne had replied." Cr. Flesher: Then you accept Cr. Langley's seconding of my amendment. His Worship: I do not. Cr. Jameson spoke beforo I could. I give my ruling. I quito appreciate the point raised by Crs. Agar and Flesher; I take it Cr. Flesher's amendment has not been seconded. In any case, he has not handed it in writing to me, as should have been done.

Cr. Flosher: You did not require me to do it.

The Mayor: I am going to put the motion to the Council.

Cr. Jameson: I move that the standing orders be suspended. Cr. Agar: I have much pleasure in seconding that. This is the only remedy we have when your ruling is at fault, and I considor it is on this question. Cr. Armstrong said he was very strongly opposod to the motion, which suggested puro "tommy-rot." Did they, as sensible men, propose to carry the motion? Unless someone moved that the Mayor's ruling be disagreed wjth he was not going to support the suspension of the standing orders. Cr. Hunter tried to speak, but was refused by the Mayor, who said the only motion before the meeting was Cr. Burgoyno's, regarding .*epresentation at the conforence being called by tho Drainage Board. His Worship then put Cr. Burgoyne's motion to the Council, and, upon a division, it was carried by 10 votes to 6, the division list being as follows:— Ayes: C f s. Beanland, Andrews, Peak, Herbert, Sullivan, Hunter, Langley, Armstrong, Burgoyne, and Jameson. Noes: Crs. Nichollj Agar, McKellar, Fleslier, and Williams, and the Mayor. Cr. Sullivan then moved that it be suggested to the Drainage Board that the conference should be held in the Council Chamber, and presided over by the Mayor. Cr. Agar seconded the motion. Cr! Jamesoi asked if ho would be in order in speaking. The Mayor chose to ignore his question, so Cr. Jameson made a speech. Thft motion was earned.