The Lady Mayor's Tantrums.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 89, 16 April 1894, Page 4

The Lady Mayor's Tantrums.

Tho report of the last meeting of the Onehunga Borough Council, with Mrs. Yates, the lady Mayor, in the chair, furnishes some lively reading, as the following extraot will show :— Councillor Tapp alleged that oortain correspondence had been kopt back from the Board of Health. The M»yor was on her mettle at once. Shaking her forefinger at Councillor Tapp, she said in the severest of tonea .- " I expect an apology from any councillor who says that. Yon roust not come hero and mako statements of that description. You will have to apologise for saying that I kept back any correspondence. Now, yon must apologise!" Councillor Tapp (laughing)— l didn't say you kept back anything. Mrs. Yates— Oh yes, you did! I don't allow any Councillor to come here and insinnate that I kept any correspondence baok. After a little further talk, no apology boing forthcoming, the Mayor said that Councillor Jackson had made the same statement as that made by Connoillor Tapp. claimed that they had been misunderstood anwL 01 * 0 ' J«PI» «owd-"'lli»t five guineas be offered to Dr. Soott (Heal h bo^ugh'"*" I^*--^ .*• hc4lth of tho th'f \t moti ° n 11 * pE *. d . for w * nt of a eeconder, the Mayor saying that fhe had got the doc tor s opinion without the five guinoas Connoillor Tapp insisting on speaking •rter he had been ruled ont of order Ihe Mayor— You mnet sit down. lam the person to diotate to you. Councillor Tapp— Oh, no, you're not. You °*n * fir o ;** yon please. (Laughter.) The Mayor-It's tpt me to diotato to yon, lsay. Don't «{>e«k to me like that! Councillor Tapp^Oh, no, ( mi«sus, you're notgoiDgtodotbat. JLanghter.) ' J The Mayor (wtHf severity) -lon have

spoken onco. You cannot speak again. She went on to Bay that she considorcd that a vote of censure should be passed on the writer of tho lottor ; and sho moved — " That tho Town Clerk be instructed to reply to tho lnttcr, giving a correct statement of the facts r<i t!.c h''nlth of Onehunga." Councillor Jaoksoii, while Baying that ( xichuiifja was as healthy as any place in Vow Zeulaml, strongly urppd the closing of ihe prefent burying grounds in tho borongh, w)i:<;h were a dnnjror to tho health of the flirftrict. Ho moved as an amendment — •' That the Town Clerk bo instructor! to ■icV.uowledge receipt of the letter, and to say l,.it Uio matter bid co/ne uudur the conJidcvntion of the ''oaricil " »"oiiiic;llr>r Jackson going m to speak at *o:ne loiJtrth on tie sanitary state of the IjO'OUgh, The Mayor —Your time is up, Councillor Jackson Councillor Jaokson (smiling seronoly)— oh, no. it is not. The Mayor (with dignity)— Every councillor is allowed fivo minutes to speak, and you have spoken moro than five minutes. Councillor Jaokson— That is not the rule of the Council. The Mayor — Are you defying me f Councillor Jackson — Yes, I am dofying you. This is not on the Standing Orders. The Mayor (in her sternest tones)— Will you sit down P Councillor Jackson (calmly stroking his beard)— No, I will not sit down. You must put that rnle on the Standing Orders. It is out of your power to pass Buch a resolution to gag the members of the Council. The Mayor — I will not be defied. Councillor Jackson— l am not defying you. I am standing up for our rights, and I am not going to be dictated to by the Council or the Chair. The Mayor— You havo now been thirteen minutes speaking. Connoillor Jaokaon said that ho would have finished if the Mayor had not interrupted him. Tho Mayor now banged the table with her fist, and orifd with a voice of thunder* — Will you obey my rnling ? Councillor Jaokßon — No, I will not. The Mayor— Then we may as well dissolve tho Council. Councillor Jackson — I am not speaking to tho motion nor replying. I am speaking againnt it ; theroforo tho five miuutos rule does not apply to me. The Mayor— Oh, that's characteristic of you. (Laughter.) Councillor Tapp seconded the amendment. Councillor Jackson and the Mayor then had a fow words as to what was the primary oause of typhoid fever. Tho Mayor— You are not an encyclopedia, I can assure you, Councillor Jackson ! (Laughter,) But tho Mayor was too 'much for Councillor Jackson in the end, and his amendmont was rejeotod. Onco more, to hia chagrin, tho rule of tho lady provailed.