ROSLYN TRAMWAY COMPANY.

Evening Star, Issue 10399, 21 August 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

ROSLYN TRAMWAY COMPANY.

At last night’s meeting of the Itoslyn Bqrougn Council a communication was re. ceived from forty-nine ratepayers, who wrote demanding that the questions whether or nob an order authorising the construction of a tramway in tho Borough of Roslyn should be applied for, and whether or not the dele* gation of such authority to the Roslyn Tramway Company, Limited, should be sub* mitted to the decision of the ratepayers oi the borough. Subsequent to the signing of this Messrs James Crombie, Alfred Washer, Thomas Fairlie, I). M'Donald, and N. M'Donald wrote requesting that their names might be withdrawn from the document.

The Mayor moved that the petition be received, and that Mr James Straohan bo appointed scrutineer to act on behalf of the Council at the poll to be taken on Septem* her 2.

This was seconded by Or Sim. Cr Begg moved as an amendment that the memorial submitted was informal in consequence of two of the sheets bearing names only, having no reference to the memorial, and that the question be submitted for the decision of the solicitors of the Corporation. This was seconded by Cr Hunter, and on the Mayor refusing to accept the amendment because it was not in conformity with the provisions of the Tramway Act, Cr Begg handed in the following protest:—“l hereby protest against the decision of His Worship the Mayor in reference to an amendment moved by me, which he declined to accept as incompetent.”

Consideration of the matter was, at this stage, deferred till the other business of the Council had been taken.

On the matter coming up again later on Cr Begg proposed that consideration bo deferred till that day six months. That was the parliamentary method of shelving things. He thought the less they had to do with io the better after the disclosures made that evening. The Mayor said he could not accept the proposition, because they were compelled by the Tramway Act to appoint a scrutineer, and the provisions of the Act must be com* plied with. Cr Hunter then moved, and Cr S other* land seconded— ** That the demand of the ratepayers for a poll forbidding the author!* sing order and delegation for the proposed extension of the Roslyn tramway lines be referred, with the letters received thereon, to the borough solicitors for advice as to the legality of the documents ; and that a meeting of the Council be held on Friday, the 27th inst., to receive a report.” The Mayor said he could accept that. It was in terms of the Act.

Cr Begg said he would have made no objection to the motion provided there had been some evidence that the petition was spontaneous and bona fide. The evidence they had was that it was not spontaneous or bona fide, and therefore fraudulent.

Cr Watson would agree to the motion as he thought it got over the difficulty. The Mayor' said the motion provided for a meeting for the appointment of a scrutineer. Some strong language had been used about way the signatures had been got to the petition, but he held different views to those expressed by some of the councillors. He had had nothing to do with getting up the petition, but he thought the petitioners were quite justified in asking that a poll should be taken.

The motion was carried, there being only one dissentient.

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