BOROUGH COUNCIL SCENE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12869, 22 September 1904, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL SCENE.

HEATED REMARKS. There was a lively breeze at Ifltt night’s meeting of the Napier Borough , Council during the consideration of an account from Messrs J. J. Niven and Co., amounting to iJßlOfi 7s Bd, for re- ’, pairs and renewals to the small pump- ’ ing engine at the waterworks. ! Cr Eagleton said the Waterworks Committee had not been satisfied with the account first received, as it merely ' stated a lump sum, and gave no particulars. He hoped that the council would act less hurriedly in the future, because if they had acted more care--1 fully ho believed a considerable saving ! would have been effected. ! Cr Lascelles agreed with Cr Eagleton, and made a remark to the effect 1 that the thing had been done in a hole-and-corner manner. | Cr McGrath strongly objected to this ' expression. Cr Lascelles had tried repeatedly to throw the responsibility on the Waterworks Committee. The Mayor asked Cr Lascelles to withdraw the words complained of. Cr Lascelles: I will withdraw the words, and say it was not a square transaction. The Mayor said he hoped Cr Lascelles would be more respectful to his fellow-councillors and to the chair, and would not impute motives. His Worship called upon Cr Lascelles to withdraw his second observation also. I Cr Lascelles: I will say, then, the j transaction was unsatisfactory, and ‘ that it will stink in the nostrils of the

| ratepayers. | Cr McGrath: The only person re- ■ sponsible for what has occurred is Cr Lascelles, because of the way be went about it. Cr Lascelles; All I did was to try and defend a man that Cr McGrath had been persecuting for two years. Cr McGrath: You are a liar. The Mayor; You must withdraw that word, Cr McGrath. Cr, McGrath: I’ll obey your ruling, and withdraw the expression, but to say that I persecuted a man. for two years was aa bad as to go to the police and inform them of what had occurred in the council. He is not man enough to say these things outside, or 1 would know how to deal with him. The Mayor deprecated any heat beinfe shown, and urged the councillors to be more respectful to each other, and not imply motives. Cr Wilson said that Cr Lascelles’ assertion that the work had been authorised by the Waterworks Committee was incorrect. The records showed that it had been done in open council. Cr Eagleton quoted from the minutes in support of what Cr Wilson had said. It was a pity Cr Lascelles had not acquainted himself with the facts before making insinuations against other councillors. Cr Lascelles said that what be objected to was that so large a job had been carried out in such a way, namely, without getting all available information. He was confident that no councillor would conduct his private business in so loose & way. The Mayor said it had not been done in a loose way. Pie had gone into the matter thoroughly, and had estimated the cost at £IOO. Cr Westall said if half the trouble had been taken before the work was authorised as had arisen since, the results would have been more satisfactory. It seemed to him that at the time the council wets so busy trying to get rid of the engineer that they neglected other matters. Cr Lascelles: Hear, hear. This closed the discussion, and Uie account was referred to the Waterworks Committee.