The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2057, 8 December 1869, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1869.

When' last Mr Fish treated Dunedin with his theories on Mayoral duties, we thought the force of folly could go no further ; but in this we were mistaken. He reminds one of the man who blew his lingers to warm them, and his hot potatoes to cool them ; but with tins difference —the one case could be explained on rational principles, the other cannot. If Messrs Fish and Dons go on unchecked, no respectable man will be found to accept the office of Mayor. What can be more absurd ?■ When it suits Mr Fish, the Mayor is to be bound to read every letter he receives. When it suits him, the Mayor is nob to be allowed to write a letter independently of the Gas Committee, nor to read the answer when received, dhe matter is really too serious for ridicule, for it involves not only the dignity of the Mayoral Chair, but the material interests of the City. Let the inhabitants ponder well the doctrines laid down by this tyrant majority of the City Council, and say whether in view of them, any confidence whatever can be reposedin their doings. The Council meeting was specially convened to deliberate upon the Gas Committee’s report. ■ Now, it must be borne in mind, that the appointment of the Committee was for a specific object, which was attained when they reported on the plans and specifications of Mr A. K. Smith. But that did not prevent inquiries in another direction, either by the Mayor or by another Committee that might have been appointed for the special purpose. To arrogate to themselves therefore the exclusive right to inquiry, and to feel themselves insulted by inquiries made either by the Mayor or by any Councillor who chose on his own responsibility to institute them, and to lay the results at the service! of the Council, proves how little they know of the duties and responsibilities that their fellow citizens have committed to their keeping. The Mayor had a perfect right to make the enquiry he did ; nay more, he would have done a grievous wrong had he neglected to do so. He is supposed to be superior to party feeling, and in the fulfilment of his duties to see that the fullest information is obtained on every subject with which the Corporation is called on to deal. For any member of the Council therefore to move that a letter presented by the Mayor, calculated to throw light on its proceedings be not read, is not only a deliberate insult to the Chief Citizen, but lays the Councillor guilty of such gross vulgarity fairly open to his own enquiry, Who pulls the strings 1 Nor is the excuse tenable that the lessee of the Gas Works has insulted the Corporation ; and we cannot avoid the conclusion that it was put forward deliberately, knowing it to he a perversion of the truth. The lessee of the Gas Works, Mr J. W. Hutchison, we believe, never had any communication with the City Council, and Councillor Fish and his supporters know it. The alleged insult was not on his part, but if one was committed, it was by the late lessee, S. S. Hutchison, who need not be introduced into the controversy. We hist night published the letter which Mr Fish and his friends so industriously endeavored to keep out of sight. It concedes all that the Gas Committee seek. We do not deny to Mr Fish the true meed of praise that is his due. Had he not moved in accordance with the desire of others, in all probability the City would not have obtained the concessions that the lessee of the Gas Works is prepared to make ; and it is a pity that when Mr Fish finds every object he seeks can be certainly gained, without the immense outlay to which he seems bent on thrusting the City into, he does not at once express himself satisfied : for it is certain that if he persists he will defeat his own end, and no cheap gas will be had. He is quite right in saying that gas and water, should be provided by Corporations ; but Dunedin has refused to act upon that principle ; and, since the City has consented to both being supplied by private companies, the duty of the Corpora tion ends when it has secured for the citizens all that is required in price and quantity. To enter into competition with private enterprise after having thus sanctioned it, is a wrong done to society, and a wanton waste of the public money, which the public will not fail to resent. If the citizens are true to themselves, and if this erratic course be persisted in, their duty is to assemble and speak out. In no other place in the world would the people sit still quietly, and allow money wanted so sadly in other directions to be wasted on a theory.