CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 9119, 27 April 1893, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting last night was attended by the Mayor and all the councillors, except Cr Barron. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs Pressley and Co. again directed attention to the injury done to their business by the Anderson Bay bus atdbd being opposite their premises. The Clerk of Caversham Borough wrote that the latter were willing that the drivers of vehicles owned in that borough should take out their licenses at the Town Hall, but the fees so received must btj paid over to the Caversham Council. Mr Olayforth, as agent for Dr Harrison; pressed for a reply re the purchase of laud at Pine Hill for cemetery purposes. v ‘ The Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce forwarded correspondence re the defective packing of imported arsenic. Mr (I. Bell called attention to the dangerous state of the footpath on the south side of Dundas street, and asked that it bo stepped to make it safe for pedestrians. Crs Fish, Hardy, and Cohen were appointed delegates to the Conference ?■£ the Otago Central. The clerk of the North-cast Valley Borough forwarded a statement showing the cost of repairing the Opoho and Pine Hill roads through the Belt. A number of residents in Regent road asked for the continuation of the footpath leading to Cosy Dell. CHARITABLE AID. * A letter was received from the Charitable Aid Board stating that the amount required for the year would be—for charitable aid 1T,051 5s 7d, and for the Hospital Board t!)dti los 9d.—His Worship mentioned, as a matter of general interest, that the requisition for charitable aid showed a decrease of C H»ti Is Tel, and that for the hospital a decrease of i'l l- Is dd. He hoped this rate of decrease would be continued in future. A DKI'NKKN SEXTON. On the report of the Reserves Committee being read, The Mayor said that there was a matter to which he desired to draw the Council’s attention. During the past nine mouths the sexton of the .Southern Cemetery had been three times suspended and once severely reprimanded and cautioned. Recently lie had been suspended by the chairman of the Reserves Committee (Cr M’Cregor), who subsequently instructed the town clerk’s assistant to write reinstating him. The chairman of the Committee, not content with usurping the functions of the mayor, mu3t needs usurp the functions of the Council, Had the Committee recommended the Council to dispense with the services of the sexton, he (His Worship) might have put up with the indignity offered to himself, but that not having been done, be felt compelled to bring the question before the Council. The chairman of the Committee had also requested the assistant town clerk not to mention his action to the mayor. He had thought it necessary, for the information of the Council, to obtain from the town clerk’s assistant a detailed statement of the occurrences, and the letters would speak for themselves :

Will Mr Wilson please furnish me, on or before Tuesday, 25th inst., with particulars as to Mr booth's neglect of duty; (1) When and how you hoard that he (booth) was neglecting hi# work. (2) Why you did not report to meat once on learning that an irregularity had taken place. (II) Inform me of the number of times he (booth) lias been suspended; the dates and length of the various terms of suspension. -C. Haynes, Mayor..

As desired by you Worship, 1 have the honor to report as follows regarding the recent suspension of Mr 11. booth, sexton of the Southern (leneral 4'emetery; On Monday, the 10th inst., about the chairman of the Reserves Committee came to die in the olKce and told me that in couseipienee of what ho had seen in the cemetery on the previous Saturday afternoon lie had on that day given the sexton instructions to knock elf work, as he was in a state of muddle through drink, rendering him unlit foe hisduty. The chairman reunested me to follow this up by writing to booth, suspending him fora few days, stating that on the last occasion when booth had been reinstated he had been really placed on probation under his (the chairman’s) care. In view of this, I acted as reunested, suspending booth, and placing (iartshure in charge temporarily. In further conversation with the chairman at the time, he told me not to mention the matter in the meantime, seeing that the sexton was under his care, and he wished to consult members of the Reserves Committee as to the course to pursue. On Wednesday, 12th inst., at the Council meeting, 1 spoke to the chairman re this matter, and lie then said that lie would come in on Thursday, which lie did, and in reply to my inipiiry he told me to bring the case before the Reserves Committee at their next meeting. I then reminded him that the matter had not been reported to your Worship, and that I thought this ought to be done. Accordingly I mentioned the matter to your Worship when you arrived next morning. Thu Reserves Committee on the following Monday left the matter to the chairman to reinstate booth, which lias been dune. 1 may mention, to prevent any misapprehension, that the week previous to the luth inst. the chairman had messengers^sunt to the cemetery on three mornings to see if booth was at his work, and so far as I knew' the reports were “all right”: but I am since informed by Mr bow that lie reported him one morning in a muddled state. 1 attaeli my report to the Reserves Committee and a memo, cf booth’s reconWluring the last nine months.—H. W. Wilson. '

1 have thu liDiinr tu report having, by instruction of the chairman on the 10th inst.. snspemluil .Mr 11. Booth from duty as sexton of the Southern Cemetery for neglect of duty, owing to excessive n.seof intoxicants. At the same time I placed Mill. (lartshore, who has been employed at the cemetery during the past six weeks, in charge temporarily. On visiting the cemetery last If. nulay f found that the record of interments was not entered lip later than March HO, though at least six burials had taken place, (lartshore further informed me that he hail taken Booth round the cemetery that morning to point out where interments had been made during the previous week, Booth having no recollection - of the circumstances. Cn the 11th inst. a cemetery paper \yas handed to me from the Southern Cemetery irregularly filled in (apparently by Mr Simpson), anil on making iii'iuirius [ was told that Mrs Stalker, who had gone to the cemetery to purchase ground, had found Booth in the tool house incapable of attending to her, and had transacted her business with Simpson, not knowing that Booth was suspended, and (lartshore being in some other part of the cemetery at thu time.- H.W.W.

On the occasion that the Committee had decided that this sexton was to he severely cautioned he (the mayor) had called him into his office, and told him that his conduct had been simply disgraceful; that he was now getting his absolutely, last chance ; and that on the first intimation of any further dereliction of duty it would not ho the Committee who would deal with him, hut the Council, who would certainly dismiss him right away. He (the mayor) had to remark that the report drawn up by Mr Wilson had never been considered by the Committee. The man’s hoiks showed that there had been no entry of burials since March 20, though six bail taken place ; in short, he was in such a muddled state from drink that he had no recollection of what had taken place. . He felt sure that such a mistake would never have occurred had tiic town clerk been on duty. He (the mayor) would call on the chairman of the Reserves Committee to explain matters and, if possible, to justify his own action. Cr M'Greoor said Booth had been reinstated for three months by his Worship’s direction.

The Mayou; Pardon me; it was nothing of the kind.

(Jr M‘( iHEiioii repeated his assertion, and remarked that he had been entrusted to look after the man during his period of probation. Tliis he had done, and in consequence of what lie had seen he had told him to leave the cemetery. Afterwards he heard that booth had been bad, and, as chairman cf the Committee, he had told Mr Wilson to write to him telling him he had better take a few days’ holiday. The matter was explained to the Committee, the majority of whom had authorised him to reinstate the sexton. As to the statement that he had requested Mr Wilson not to inform the mayor of this, that must have arisen from some misunderstanding. He certainly did not tell Mr AVilsou to inform the mayor, but he had not told him not to do so. This was the whole matter.

(Jr Owen thought that the man had been reinstated too often, and that the last occasion had oidy been a further extension of the mercy previously exercised.

(Jr Solomon said that whether the chairman of the Committee had acted within his proper functions or not was another question ; but it must be clear to everybody that it was high time this man’s services were dispensed with. He moved, as an addition to the report—“ That His Worship the Mayor be requested to dispense with the services of Mr H. Booth, the sexton, and that applications be invited for the posilion.”

(Jr Fish seconded. It was the duty of every councillor to pay the greatest deference and respect to the gentleman who for

the time being occupied the position of mayor, until he nad manifestly forfeited the right to the courtesy of members; and that the only person who had the right during the intervals between the meetings of the Council to deal with officers of the Corporation by way of suspension was the mayor. He regretted that the subject had come up, but hoped that the discussion would do good. Cr Cohen had hoped that scandals in connection with the cemetery were tilings of ‘he past. If there was any recurrence of them ho trusted the Reserves Committee would, without any Hesitation, recommend the majTor to dismiss the offender. They wanted clean, sober men to have charge of the cemeteries. The amendment having been the report was adopted with the addition moved by Cr Solomon. cabmen’s licenses. On the report of the General Committee being read, His Worship said that a list of the drivers to whom licenses had been issued was on the table, and if requested he would give information with respect to any particular cases. Cr Toomey asked what new evidence had been brought respecting the cases of Joseph Bring, Andrew Dickson, and Henry Gore—who, on the recommendation of the inspector, bad been refused licenses for misconduct, but who had since had their applications reconsidered and granted. The licenses had been refused when four members of the Committee were present, and he would like to know what authority there was for reconsidering the decision first eomc to. His Worsiiu’ replied that Cr Toomey had correctly stated the facts. The licenses had been refused, but notwithstanding that it was competent for the Committee to reopen the matter ; and acting, he thought, within their rights, they had done so. At the rehearing further evidence had been obtained, the opinion of the inspector of police having been asked for. The report of the police regarding Henry (lore was that lie had'been frequently punished for breaches of the bylaws ; that he was a man of an excitable temperament, but of sober habits and thoroughly honest. The books of the inspector showed that there had been no conviction against (lore since Ids last license was granted to him ; and this fact being taken into consideration, together.with the fact that he was a man of very good character, the Committee did not feel justified in refusing him a license. In the other cases in which licenses had been granted the police reports were favorable, and the breaches of the by-laws had not been of a serious character.

Cr Cohen expressed the opinion tl;at it was a most dangerous precedent to establish, if after a decision had been arrived at by a full meeting of a committee that decision could be reopened and reversed at a future meeting, attended perhaps by a bare quorum of the committee, without every member of the committee being apprised of the special business to be transacted. Once a committee had come to a decision that fact ought to be reported to the Council. His Wousiur said that the matter had been adjourned in committee for a fortnight, and that when the license to Core was granted all the members of the Committee were in attendance with the exception of Cr Toomcy. The Committee present were unanimous in recommending that the licenses be granted. Cr Fish said that he had had seven-and-twenty years’ experience in the Council, but could say without hesitation and without fear of contradiction that he had never before heard a record of such pusillanimous and imbecile proceedings on the part of any committee of the Council. The proceedings of this Committee had been altogether unique. In order that such things should not again be tolerated by the Council or the public, he would trespass upon the time of the Council to expose the manner in which this had been done. What he had to say would be said with no bad feeling, but with the desire to make things better on some future occasion. He then referred to the previous reports of the Committee, in which a determination was expressed to reduce the number of cab licenses issued, and to refuse licenses to all those who had persisted in defying the Corporation and in setting the by-laws at defiance when they thought it answered their purpose to do so. He (Cr Fish) then read from the minutes of the Committee, showing how licenses had been refused—some absolutely—and thee, without notice, reopened, reconsidered, and ultimately granted. The real mystery and badness of the proceedings only occurred after the return of His Worship from Wellington. At the meeting of the Committee, after the mayor’s return, Mrs Core and Mrs Murcott appeared to represent Mr Core, and, the Committee being so keenly alive to the blandishments of beauty, Mr Core obtained his license. All the other licenses that had been refused were granted, with the exception of one, and in that case the parents of the applicant ob jected to their son having a license. The police had no more right to be consulted in this matter than the man in the moon. The Committee should have been guided by their own inspector. His Wousiiir remarked that the invariable practice had been, before a license was issued, to send the name for the report of the police as to the character of the applicant.

Cr Fisk was of opinion that the officer who should give information to guide the Committee was the inspector, whose duty it was especially to look after these men. (lore had been eleven times before the court, and seven times convicted of breaches of the bylaws ; against I’ring there were twelve convictions, and against Dickson four. A license had also been granted to a man who had a maimed hand, and who had twice run over children. In this case there was nothing for it now hut to grumble ; the mischief had been done, the licenses had issued, hut he felt it right that people outside the Council should know the manner in which the licenses had been granted. The work of the Committee had been a complete farce, and the result was most humiliating. Cr Cork would like to give his reasons for what he had done. He had acted to the best of his judgment, and was satisfied that on the evidence before him the licenses ought to he granted. Many of the applicants to whom licenses had been granted had been reported and convicted of trivial offences against the by-laws. He did not know personally the applicants who had been so strongly objected to, hut the police reports as to character had been highly favorable. He for one would certainly support their inspector in every legitimate stand he might take, hut there was nothing in the inspector’s report which should prevent these men from getting licenses. Cr Solomon pointed out that the offences charged were of a comparatively trifling character, not such as to put in danger the lives, limbs, or property of passengers, and that a considerable number of the charges reported had been dismissed. Cr Fish asked permission to say that if councillors had had the opportunity of witnessing the conduct of the men objected to they would not have spoken as they had dope. The adoption of the report was then put, and carried. THE ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS. His Worship said there was a matter he might explain respecting the tramways. After the receipt from the Under-Secretary for Public Works of a letter stating that “the Government cannot see their way to recommend an Order - in - Council to authorise the substitution of electricity for horse traction,” a member of the Tramway Company hadVaited upon him and informed him that the company had been authoritatively advised that the advice tendered to the Government respecting the law was erroneous. It was suggested that to strengthen the hands of the company the opinion of the Corporation solicitors upon the question should be taken. He did not feel justified in incurring expense *for this purpose, but on the company undertaking to near the cost he had agreed to do so, if the Council so willed it. The reason ho had consented was that the Council, a little time since, had expressed a wish that as far as possible the matter should he expedited on the part of the Government. Tne Town Clerk read the opinion, which was in confirmation of otie previously given by the same firm, and was substantially as follows: —“ We are of opinion that the existing law—namely, the Tramways Act, JB72—does apply to the overhead system of

electricity, and that the Governor haapower under that Act to make a valid Ordor-in-Council authorising its institution.” Cr Fish took exception to the action of His Worship in obtaining this opinion. He thought it did not come within the scope of the mayor’s duty* His Worship did not profess to be infallible ; but at the time he thought there was no harm in getting an opinion from the firm who had given an opinion on the subject some years ago; and no still thought he was right in what he had done. The matter then dropped. TENDERS.

A number of small tenders wore received and referred to the several committees concerned.