PALMERSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 170, 27 July 1907, Page 5

PALMERSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL.

An adjourned meeting of the above was held last evening. Present—Mr E. Essex (Mayor), Crs Nash, Stubbs, Matheson, Bennett, Haydon, Holben, Clausen. Cr Holben asked leave to read a letter to which he had made reference at a previous meeting, and to which he had taken exception. The letter, from the acting Town Clerk to the fiev H. Beggs, was as follows: "Some doubt has been raised as to whether any of the money obtained for admission to Miss Murcutt's lectures were paid to that lady, or whether any of it waa sent away to the authority that employed her. When you took the hall I understood from you that the whole of the money, without any deductions, was to be used by the local Alliance for its own .purposes. On these conditions the price was reduced. I am instructed by the Opera House Committee to ask you to inform us in writing the particulars of the disposal of the money, if ustd otherwise or for the sole benefit of the local Alliance." Cr Holben went ou to make an explanation, but the Mayor ruled him out of order on the ground that the matter must be discussed at the next meeting. Cr Holben took no notice and proceeded. The Mayor asked Cr Holben to sit down. Cr Holben still persisted. The Mayor, with a vigorous rap on the table, and standing, said, " If you don't sit down, Cr Holben, I will adjourn the meeting." Cr Holben said he would be ruled by the Council. The Mayor: "I am the ruler of the Council." " Very well," replied Cr Holben, " I will bring the matter up at noxt meeting." Cr Nash moved: " That in the opinion of thiß Counoil it is undesirable and improper that Councillors should engage in public journalistic controversy on matters which have been or are to be discussed by the Council, euoh action being derogatory to the dignity of a publio body, the Counoil table providing ample opportunity to members for expressing opinions." Cr Stubbs', before the motion was pat, raised an objeotion that the Council was a statutory body and had no power to deal with a matter of the sort. He asked the Mayor to rule. Cr Nash asked why if the Council had no power, why was the time of the Counoil wasted in discussing matters of the kind ? The Mayor said the resolution was not in order. He had submitted the notice of motion to the Borough solicitor. Had Cr Stubbs not raised an objeotion he would have allowed the matter to come on. Personally he would have no objeotion to writing to the press, especially, in defence or where a matter did not receive sufficient publicity. CrNash then tendered to Cr Stubbs hu congiatulations for the manner in whioh he had Bquashed the resolution to further his own ends. The Mayor asked him to withdraw the latter clause, which Cr Nash willingly consented to do. Or Holben moved: " That the Engineei be requested to furnish a report to tht Council on the newly-appointed Sewerage Inspectors—(l) The quality of the worl carried out by them smoe their appoint ment. (2) Their knowledge of sanitarj work. (3) Their capability of carrying i out the work entrusted to them." Speaking to this motion, Cr Holben . said that there had been a doubt about • the qualifications of sewer inspectors » appointed. When important works of the kind were being earned out it was I highly essential that the services of the i very best men should be obtained. Conn- > cillors had only to go round the work to . see that there was something wanting, r and he pointed out several defeota in the c work.

Cr Bennett said that the Engineer had raised. objections to the men being appointed, and it was only right that he should considered in the matter and he hoped that some fetepa would be taken. Other Crs said the Engin&r should have reported on the matter. Cr Holben said the Engineer's hand# were tied, and had he done his duty it would have bean said he was vindictiye.

The Engineer said at a meeting of the. Council that he did not approve of the appointments. The Mayor disapproved of Cr Holben's statements, and said that he could not prove them. Cr Holben interjecting, said that he would take steps to do bo later on. The Mayor said that if the Engineer knew that the men were not capable, he should have told the Council or the Mayor, and the men would haye been suspended until the next meeting of the Council. Cr Bennett asked if the inspectors had any evidences of their qualifications ? The Mayor replied that they had, but they had been returned to the men; The motion was then carried. The Mayor moved: y " That the Finance Committee or two members appointed to pasß weekly wages be given power to pay the men who are engaged in carting by the day at any time when wages for day labour iare being paid." " That in addition to the two Councillors authorised to sigu documents on behalf of the Council, any two members of the Finance Committee be given the same authority." " That in order to facilitate the work of the Council the principal offioes in the Council Chambers shall be connected by an improved system of telephone." " That the Engineer make provision for a supply of tar for proposed work on the Estimates." —Carried. The tender of J. Duthie and Co. for 4-inch iron pipes was accepted. Cr Holben asked if the correspondence and complaints about the mutilation of trees was correct. The Mayor stated that orders had been given to the men to cease operations in Fitzherbert-9treet. Resolved that the Government be asked to vest in the Council the triangular portion of land from the Main-street East railway crossing to the cemetery and that the deputation appointed to interview the Premier on various matters affecting the Council be authorised to place the request before him. The Mayor moved, "That as iron pipes are a necessity for the community in order to ensure a supply of water to preserve the publio health, and as it is therefore important that the cost should be made as low as possible, the Borough Council desires to enter a most emphatic protest against the proposal of the Government to increase the duty thereon, | and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the hon. the Premier. — , Carried. .