NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3520, 19 October 1882, Page 3

NAPIER MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Wednesday, October 18

The Council met at 8 p.m. in the Town Clerk's office. Present: His Worship the Mayor (chairman), Councillors Ellison, Cotton, Graham, McDougall, Margoliouth, Monteith, Price, and Wall. AN AITKWAHD FIX. Before proceeding with the business of the meeting the Mayor read a letter from the Diocesan secretary stating that the Syaod had borrowed the desk and other furniture belonging to the Council Chamber, and as i* would be an inconvenience to the Synod to give same up that night he was instructed to ask the Council to hold their present meeting without them. A. question was raised as respects the legality orotherwise of holding the meeting elsewhere than in the place mentioned in the notices to councillors. After consulting the bye-laws and Municipal Act, Hie Worship said he saw nothiDg therein that would render the proceedings irregular. Some further discussion took place on the subject, a very general feeling being expressed that the Diocesan secretary's action in removing and detaining tho furniture without authority, thereby causing much inconvenience to the public and the councillors, was deserving of eevere censure. His Worship said that without a doubt a great slight had been cast upon the -yCbunci], and he hoped a resolution con--1 demnatory of the action of the executive of the Synod would be carried before the meeting separated. The minutes of the previous meeting were then read and adopted. Cr. Margoliouth moved, " That this Council now adjourn until to-morrow evening in the Council Chamber at 8 p.m., from the fact that owing to the unwarrantable removal of the desks and tables from the Council Chamber—the place where the meetings are held, and ■where the public are admitted—this Council is unable to transact its business either to the convenience of the public or of the Council, and desires to express its strong disapproval of the want of common courtesy shown by the Executive of the Diocesan Synod." Cr. Price seconded the motion, and expressed his indignation at the unwarrantable behaviour of the Synod in the matter. Cr. Cotton said he would oppose the motion, for ths reason that Mr F. W. Williams had an application before the Council fot permission to lay a tramway into hie store at tbe Spit. Everything was ready for the work, even the tools being there. The Harbor Board had granted permission, and all that was required now was the consent of the Council. Cr. Price remarked that the reason given was not a sufficient one why the Council should tamely submit to be kicked out of possession. Cγ. Ellision moved, as an amendment,

Ythat that portion of the motion conveying a vote ot censure on the executive officers ,■ oftbe Synod for their alleged discourtesy out. ■P^Cr. Cotton seconded the amendment Cr. Ellison said there was no evidence of any diecourfesy, and moreover the Council had not suffered very severely through not being able to hold its meetin the usual room. The Synod had hastened to offer any reparation in their power in apologising for retaining the use of the furniture. There was nothing to prevent the business being proceeded with. I s Cr. Monteith said he would vote for the motion. He believed the Municipal Act intended that the meeting should be held in Borne one place known to the public, otherwise how would the public know where the meetings were to be held. It was quite probable that the majority of the members oftbe Synod were unaware of the action that had been taken by their secretary, although it was evident that the executive officers did not care to what inconvenience the Council was put. * Cγ Wall said he would vote for the motion, although such was not his mrr tention when the adjournment was first suggested. He now saw what he believed to be a legal objection to holding the meeting at any other than the usual place. As to Cr Ellison's amendment respecting the latter part of the motion, he (Cr Wall) thought there was evidence of discourtesy, because when it became known that the

furniture was required by the Council the Synod could have adjourned. They could have done so as easily as the Council and might have made up for lost time by meeting an hour or so earlier each day. Cr Price said that, looking at the notices ofmotion in that morning's paper, it tho Synod adjourned for ever it would not matter much. Cr McDougall said, in the face of a reply from the Town Clerk that the furniture would be required that night, nothing could be more discourteous than the subsequent action of the Synod in detaining same. Cγ Margoliouth remarked that Cr Ellison was an interested party, and therefore it was that he had raised an objection to the last words of the motion. Without the concluding words he (Cr Margolioutb) considered the whole point of the resolution would be simply lost. The amendment, on being put, was negatived on the voices. Cr. Ellison hoped the motion as it stood would not be pressed. The account of the discussion, which he had no doubt would be duly published, would of itself be sufficient to prevent a recurrence of the Synod's action in the matter. Cr. Cotton said it would be an inconvenience to the laborers if the vouchers were not paid. Cr. M'Dougall: They can be passed to-morrow night. Cr. Graham was sorry to hear Crs. Ellison and Cotton offering so many lame excuses in their attempts to screen the Synod. It was a piece of impertinence for any body of men to detain the furniture of fhe Council Chamber without leave, and he would therefore vote for the motion. The motion was then put and carried, Crs. Cotton and Ellison alone voting againat it, and the meeting adjourned.