PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 12943, 5 May 1908, Page 3

PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL

The ordinary meeting yesterday evening was attended by Mr G. Edgar (mayor). Crs Cable, Tail, Morgan, Weir, Asher. Fail, Mawson, Powell, Crawford, and Knewstubb. —Correspondence.— The Hon. J. A. Millar wrote under date April 28 acknowledging receipt of letter recommending the appointment of Mr John Tail to the position on the Dock Trust recently vacated by Mr Cray, and also the Council's recommendation of Mr George Edgar to fill the vacancy that would shortly occur in the place of Mr John Mill. Tho Minister stated that Mr Cray's successor had already been appointed in the person of Mr Sutton, but careful consideration would be given to the recommendation to fill the vacancy to be caused shortly by Mr Mill’s election to tho mayoralty. —Received.—Cr Powell said he had a very decided conviction that the Council should have received notice before tho recommendation of Mr Cray’s successor was forwarded to the Minister. At their first meeting after receiving notice of Mr Cray’s resignation, the Council forwarded the name of their nominee. They even, telegraphed it to Wellington, in order that as little delay as possible should occur. They received in reply a wire notifying them that the appointment had already been made. He thought the least that could have been done was to consult the Council in the matter.—The Mayor said he was quite satisfied with tho letter, and if Cr Powell had a motion it could be brought up later on. Mr T. F. Martin, secretary of the Municipal Association, wrote from Wellington stating that the biennial conference of the Association would be held in July. The Council were asked to forward notice of jny business they desired to have brought up at the confoience, also the names of delegates.—Mr E. G. Allen, M.P., was appointed delegate for the Council, and the letter was referred to the chairmen of .the various committees to be further dealt with in regard to forwarding any matters for consideration at the conference.

—Reports.—

The Finance Committee reported that since last meeting the income and expenditure were respectively £96 8s 7d and £233 6s lid.—Adopted. The Works Committee reported two sections (HOtt) of the Mussel Bay retaining wall completed. Work at the new George street sewer would be started on receipt of permission to go through the railway property. The Government Inspector had examined and reported (favorably, it was presumed) on the matter, A new culvert at the end of the wool sheds in Beach street was recommended in the interest of foot passengers. The Port Chalmers-Blucskhi road was becoming dan erous, and'as sometiling in the way of repairs was immediately necessary, the Waikouaid representatives would be consulted in the matter as early as possible. The Committee proposed the putting down of asphalt at Bellevue place, and considered that the embankment on the high side of Currie street could be sloped so as to give vehicular access to the other part of the street.—Cr Powell, chairman of works, did not think it was advisable to start the George street sewer vet a while, as the repairing of certain roads was more urgent at present.—Cr Mawson did not think it advisable to spend much money on the upper road until the traffic to the new dock was over.—Cr Asher said the road was in a dangerous state, and foot passengers were restricted to a footpath only twelve inches wide.—After further discussion the report was adopted. —General.— The Sanitary Committee were empowered to deal with the proposed transfer of the sanitary contract from the pnsent contractor (Ernest Winter) to John. Sykes. —A Question of Courtesy.— Cr Powell, referring to the appointment of Mr Cray's successor on the Dock Trust, said that it was quite within the province of the Council to make a recommendation as to the appointee. They were a little lato in sending tho recommendation, but this was amended as far as possible bv telegraphing. He would move—“Re appointment to tho Dock Trust, that while disclaiming any idea of belittling the appointec, this Council consider that the member for the district has been guilty of an act of discourtesy in not consulting the Council before making any recommenI dation to the Minister. —The Mayor: That is debatable matter, and you must give it as notice of motion.—Cr Powell: Very well, I will give it as notice of motion.—Cr Mawson thought it was all bunkum about giving notice of motion. They all knew they had been ignored in the 1 matter of the recommendation, and a moI tion was unnecessary.—The Mayor said it | was unnecessary if all the councillors were unanimous about being ignored, but they | were not. —Cr Asher moved that the stand- ! ing orders be suspended, in order that Cr ; Powell’s motion could be taken without i notice. —This was seconded by Cr MawI son and carried.—Cr Powell then formally : moved his motion, adding that he did not think it necessary to say anything in order to convince the councillors that every word of the motion was true.—Cr Mawson seconded, saying he thought the member for the district might have consulted tho Council, seeing it was their representative that resigned from the Trust.—Cr Fail wished to know if the Council had approached tho member about the appointment. If they had not done so, the Council were as much at fault as the member was.—Cr Weir thought the member had acted veiy judiciously in selecting the representative that had been appointed. —A Voice: The Council refused to have him as their representative some time ago. —Cr Asher drew .attention to tho fact that they had not had the chance to approach the member. As soon as they were notified of the resignation the Council did not lose an hour in. communicating with the Minister of Marino. Continuing, Cr Asher said that it was no argument to point to the procedure of ten years ago, and say that a similar course was then adopted. The position was now different. A large interest was at stake in the form of a guarantee, and the Council should not stand down quietly under what was no other than a snub, which personally he very much resented.—The Mayor pointed out that the Minister was empowered to appoint whom he pleased to an extraordinary vacancy such as the one in question. It _ was only natural that the Minister, being too busily engaged to thoroughly acquaint himself with local matters, should consult the member.—Voices: No one blames the Minister.—The Mayor: Well, I blame the Council from the start for their laxity in tho matter, in allowing over a week to elapse without making any recommendation.—Cr Mawson: You told us we could not deal with the resignation until wa received notice.—The Mayor, continual?) said that the member asked him if the Council had made any recommendation, and he had to an&wav ia the negative.

therefor© it was only reasonable for the member to conclude that the Council were indifferent, and act accordingly.—Cr Tait: It was the mayor’s duty to call a special meeting of the Council if ho had all the information he appears to have had at his disposal.—The Mayor : I blame the Council for their laxity in the matter. Besides; I understand tnat the present appointee stood down some time ago in favor of one of the Council’s nominees.—Cr Cable; That is where the error comes in. He did not stand down in favor of the Council's nominee. He stood down in favor of the debenture-holders’ nominee, and surely this Council are also entitled to a say in the appointment of their representative.—Cr Crawford thought the trouble had arisen through the Council not taking time by the forelock. —After further debate the motion was put, but was lost on- the casting veto of the mayor.