PALMERSTON BOROUGH DISPUTE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 9

PALMERSTON BOROUGH DISPUTE.

s MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. "

(BY TELEGBAPII—SPECIALXOIHIEBrONDEXT.)

Palmerston North, January 21. The Borough Council iuot this, evening, Mr. R. Ivssex, Mayor, presiding. The' "Mayor said' hp particularly regretted that no member had attended the .Finance Committal' meeting this afternoon, nnd pointed out lli.it lie lwd mi every occasion attended to the Council's duty, and'regretted to find that lie had not been appreciated. Certain words, introductory, to Councillor Haydou's notice of motion, could have but one interpretation—to east a reflection upon the electors' representative, lie had no desire to set up a second Public Works Committee, as two Public Works Committees must lead to confusion. Jf the law contemplated such a position as now existed, provision would have been made to deal with it. There was no provision made by lav.* to overcome such dead-locks. Therefore, the. hardship hears upon workmen,,and business people also, as theru were large accounts due to business people outside the borough. Interest was due upon loans, and also payments upon various contracts now in progress in tho borough, for which the IJiigincerY certificate was attached. If the present state of allairs continued, the borough would become a defaulter, and work would be stopped. The Council would be sued for breaches of contract, and 150 U ■ 200 1 men would he thrown out of work, thus making the position intensely acute. He considered his first duty was t.o the borough, and, even if the insults were ten times greater, the welfare of the borough should still be first. Therefore, he would put (lie motion, whilst strongly protesting against it. . The motion, which caused the deadlock, was carried, as ; follows, the Mayor voting against: —That, on account of the action taken by the Mayor in refusing to accept the report of the Sub-committee of Public Works, appointed by the Council, on the plea that the appointing o!' such sub-committee was irregular, nnd being backed up by udvico of the borough solicitor, the Council now rescind the resolution appointing the sub-committee, and immediately appoint the same Councillors as a special committee, to be known as the No. 1 Public Works Committee, with power to look alter general maintenance works ami all sewerage and public works contracts now existing, or to be let; to confer and instruct the Engineer as to what, works sanctioned by the Council shall be proceeded with, to meet once a week, and to inspect various works when thought advisable." The business of tho Council was then proceeded with as usual. A number of ratepayers assembled, expecting to see an exciting evening.