NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 2980, 13 January 1881, Page 3

NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

THIS DAY. SPECIAL MEETING. Present: Tbe Mayor (in the chair), Councillors McVay, Monteith, Swan, McKay, deLisle, McDougall, Ellis, Cotton, and Leonard. Cr. Swan, before the minutes were read, said he was of opinion that Or McVay was not entitled to sit in the Council. He had legal advice on the subject. The Mayor said be had taken no legal opinion, but he would take the Act, and he ruled that Cr McVay was entitled to ait. Cr. McVay said he had taken legal advice, which bore him out in his action that he was entitled to sit until his successor was appointed. Or Leonard moved that the Municipal Solicitor's opinion be read. Cr. McDougall pointed out that it was no meeting until the minutes had been confirmed. The minutes of the previous meeting were then read. Or. McVay moved their adoption. Cr. Leonard objected to Cr. McVay voting at all, as he did not believe him entitled to Bit. Tbe Mayor said hebad not the Municipal Solicitor's opinion, and he ruled that Cr. McVay was entitled to sit. The minutes were then confirmed by the casting vote of the Mayor. The Mayor explained the reason of the meeting being called. Or. Swan said he would ask that the Solicitor's opinion be read, which had been procured at the request of five Councillor?. He had also the opinion of Mr Travers, of Wellington, and it was not His Worship's place to consent to an illegal act. The Mayor said it was a special meeting, and no opinion had been asked for, and he ruled that it be not read. The opinions should not be taken to-day. A ;* tr meeting had been called for a special purpose, and it they were acting wrongly there was a penalty for illegally sitting. He would asx Cr. M'Kay to go on with his motion. Cr. Ellis thought the Mayor was very arbitrary. The Mayor said that he should adhere to his ruling. If any Councillor wanted to be Mayor, let him be. He would not take the Solicitor's opinion to-day. Cr. McKay here read his motion

amidst a loud clamor, " That the motion appointing an engineer at the last meeting of the Council be rescinded, and that a competent local engineer be appointed with the right of private practice." The Mayor read the portion of (he Act in reference to elections, and he knew of no Councillor appointed for the Southern Ward besides Or. McVay. Cr. McKay asked what business was before the meeting.

(Left Sitting.)