HEATED DISCUSSION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2114, 3 April 1914, Page 8

HEATED DISCUSSION.

AT CITY COUNCIL. OVER A LIGHTING AREA. A heated discussion was raised at the City Council last night over the light area granted to the firm of Messrs. A. S. Paterson and Co. This will be the subject of a special report, to next council meeting. The subject was opened'by Councillor Godber, who asked why no referonco l to the matter appeared on tho order paper. Serious allegations had been made by Councillor Hindmarsh, and ho thought an opportunity of answering thoso allegations should bo afforded. The Mayor explained that the time lad not been sufficient to bring a report down, on the matter at the present meeting. It would be brought down at next meeting. Proceeding, the Mayor said: "I don't think that you need worry yourself. with what, lilis been said. No man who sits at the council table is more esteemed than Councillor Godber."

; Councillor Fuller: I. protest. This question was brought, up im a perfectly proper manner. You say that you are going to discuss this matter at some future time, and you practically discuss it in a vague way now.. Councillor Hindmarsh (to tho Mayor): I consider those remarks uncalled for. It is not a pleasing matter for me to go into this matter, but I am not going to allow these things to pass unnoticed. I- do not care what you are going to do —I am hot going to sit here and allow an officor of this council to say that an improper thing was done by the council. It is a very serious matter.

The Mayor: Not this council. Councillor Hindmarsh: If you think that j'ou -can got rid of that remark by saying that one of the councillors is esteemed by the citizens The Mayor: So he is. .Councillor Hindmarsh : I want to know if that remark £hat the council did an impropor thing has been justified or not. I have attempted,; on more than one occasion, to get this matter faced, and I have received no assistance from the council The Mayor: Yes, you have. Councillor Hindmarsh: I have received no assistance that I could tako. Councillor Hindmarsh went on to refer to matters connected with the granting of the light area, when Councillor Buddie rose to a point' of; order as to whether the • question could then be discussed.

The Mayor said that when a remark had been made by the Mayor and a councillor felt aggrieved, he was not going to stop' him. ■>. An Alleged Insult. Councillor Hindmarsh: Councillors know I have made allegations against the conduct of Councillor Godber, and I consider it i 3 an insult to me to say that he is so honoured! by tho citizens that there is nothing in my allegations, Tho Mayor: He wouldnt bo here if ho wasn't 'honoured. Councillor Hindmarsh: Nonsense. The Mayor: I am going to give you every liberty, but I am not going to havo you address such a remark as that. : .

Councillor Hindmarsh: I am 'not a man who is going to be turned aside. I am going into other matters of a Pub" lie nature. lam going info the milk matter, touching Councillor Godber, and I hijpe to be' able to ;show that he will not, on another occasion, be ablo to get the confidence of the public. . Councillor Godber (laughingly) All T Councillor Hindmarsh: Tfes. It is all very well to laugh. . ' ' The Mayor: I have ruled that Councillor Hindmarsh must confine himself to the light area. Will Support Allegations.

Councillor Hindmarshi All this arisca out of your remarks. I intend to sup* port tlie allegations that I ftavo made. In regard to the light area, you have seen itfr. Shirtcliffe's replies to mj If you liavo finished with me, I think you should let us get on with other business. • 1 -. Councillor Hindmarsh: I will hove an opportuntiy to go into the matter, and while I am on this council I intend going into this matter. ■ The Mayor: Councillor Godber referred to this matter, and 1 gave him an answer. The discussion is not going to he stifled. Councillor Godber knows it could not come up this time, because thero was not time to have the report down. — • • Councillor Fitzgerald: The allegations hv Councillor Hindmarsh are very serious. Surely when a charge is made like that, one member should bo given ah opportuntiy to support those allegations and tho other to refute them. Don't you thinlc that a special committee should be set uj> to take evidence r ■ The Mayor: The time for that is when the report is brought-down. ■ The discussion then ceased.