AN UNRULY COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 16049, 28 February 1916, Page 2

AN UNRULY COUNCIL

Extraordinary scenes arc reported to have occurred at the meeting q$ (h a Glasgow City Council on December 23. For overman hour and a-half the meeting was in almost continual uproar, and in the course of th--> proceedings 11 Labor members were suspended. The bother aro-e out of a minute ot a sub-cpmmit.ee declining to let St Andrew's Hall or the City Hull for an'anticonsenption meeting on December' 8. Tho minute of the committee was submitted for conlirmation only, which precluded discussion. The Labor group asserted that they had a right to discuss the minu.e on the ground that the action of the sub-committee constituted a precedent which might be acted upon m the future. The Town Clerk held that no precedent was being created, as the letting of halls was in the power of the curator who however, had consulted the committee on this occasion. At this stage Lord Provost Bunlop had to leave the meeting, and the chair was taken by Baillie W. B. Smith, senior magistrate, who called for the next business At once ihere was a storm of protest from the Labor members. Mr Taylor declared that the action of the committee was an attempt to suppress the right of free speech. The chairman ruled Air Taylor out of order, and appealed to him to respect the procedure Air Taylor declined to desist, and he was noisily supported by his patty coUea<*ues Ultimately Mr Taylor s suspension was moved and seconded, and was carried by over 50 votes io M. No sooner had he withdrawn from the meeting than another Labor member took the matter up, and there was another noisy scene, with loud shouts of '•Tyranny!" and •' Prussian methods!" Suspension was again moAd and adopted by a similar majority. Member"" after member ,in like lashion deried ihe chair imtil in ali 11 had been suspended. Several o.hers afterwards entered a formal protest. On each suspension the Labor members insisted on the roll being called, and thus an hour and a-half was occup.cd boiore the council wa a able to begin the ordinary business.