The Clashing of the Councils

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 190, 1 September 1888, Page 2

The Clashing of the Councils

THEY WILL GO TO LAW. They were two Councils. Now the members of these two Councils were individually estimable and peace loving citizens and settlers. When however, they sat in solemn conclave their whole nature seemed to change, and, in their frantic endeavors to protect the interests of those who elected them, they became regular fire eaters, whom nothing oould withstand. It chanced that the B. Council desiring to mend its ways let unto a certain person a contract to deliver on one of the aforesaid ways a quantity of stone. The certain person was to procure the stone from a specified locality. Then came a question of ways and means as to how the stone was to be conveyed to its destination.

TWO WAYS WERE OPEN. One led away from the direction required, but by traversing an enormous distance the stone might eventually be delivered. The other way was a direct one and very considerately the C. Council had formed and maintained that road at an expense of some £5OO a mile. The choosing of the ways was not a difflcolt task. The contractor thought such la euitable opportunity as the last was not to be lost. He therefore delivered or caused to be delivered some 1400 yards of stone which stone he sent by the shortest ent. The stone was weighty and made considerable impression upon the road, in fact is said to have impressed it with

£75 WOP.TH OF DAMAGE. Here was a pretty go: a brand new road out to pieces 1 The C. Council determined to make somebody pay for the damage. The B. Council would be damaged before It would pay. The contractor said ditto and so the lawyers were called in. The C Council’s lawyer gave it as his opinion that someone was liable if certain things could be proved and it was decided to go to law. Now to gq to law means much; to get out of it scatheless means more. The B. Council was astonished one fine night to have presented to it a piece of blue paper headed “ Colony of New Zealand to wit whereas ko," and bearing the autograph of a Jnstice of the Peace. Great then was the anger of the B, Council, but the dreaded

SUMMONS MUST BE OBRYEB. So the B. Council instructed its solicitor. And the ball was set rolling and it was only £75 that was in dispute 1 But £75 or £7500 requires a full blown Court and on the day appointed the Court was opened in solemn form. On the Bench sat the Magistrate, below him sat the Clerk and dispersed in various directions were the crier and a stray bobbv. The press were fully represented on the right hand side, while in the middle of the court on opposite sides of a table two worthy reps of tjie Bar were in their places ready tn do battle for their respective side,. 4 The aforesaid table bore the ammunition for the fray in the shape of some 25 or 30 nonderous legal tomes from Whitmore on Harbore to Ormond on the Recovery of Rates. Sifis hy side with the lawyers as if to jiv« m«l? dignity to the scene sat THE BFSFEOTIVE CLERKS of the Oounciis. Nearby stood, reclined or sat various other officials of the Corporations. Business was thrown to the dogs or shopmen and members of both Councils attended in full fiirca anxious for the result. But all councillors were hot business men. some were sheepfarmers, and these, leaving their flocks to the tender mercies of understrappers, were not behind their business friends, and the case created some outside talk and those who deemed their interests affected, and those whq had no interests to affect, irrespective of the labors waiting to be performed, made it their business to attend the Court. The erstwhile unemployed foupd solace for their sufferings, in listening to the eloquent arguments of counsel and the weighty dicta that fell from the Bench. Understanding hut little of what was said they smiled when the BENCH AND BAR smiled, and when theß. and B. langhefi they did ditto, and one more inquisitive thsn the rest tried to reckon the costs of the proceedings net diem. The Magistrate's time was worth, he thought, 255, the clerks 15s, the two lawyers £4 4s at least, the Press 20s, the Clerks of Councils 80s. the engineer and overseer 80s. The business men, the sheepfarmers, the witnesses, the Court officers; to say nothing of interest on cost of las? books. Well, let us say nearly £2opar diem, and the amount in dispute is only £751 And it is not yet finished, and when It is who’ll ba the winners ? Echo answers, Who ? Stern fact replies, Not the ratepayers ! They were two Councils, ami 11 individually " the members were practical, hard-headed men, but when they sat in solemn -conclave—