THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 280, 4 December 1907, Page 5

THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.

A SUB-COMMITTEE QUESTION,

At last night's meeting of the Borough Council the Mayor moved that the resolution appointing a subcommittee of the Public \Vorks Committee -be rescinded and that the latter return to its former position. His Worship said that there had been a certain amount of friction which he thought should be cleared up. He saw no reason why the Public Works Committee should not be able to deal with all situations relating to works, and trusted that the Council would see the advisability of doing away with the new state of things,

CrT Haydon said that the subsommitteo did not interfere with ;he Public Works Committee in anyway. If the latter had been a small working committee of'four, there would have been no reason for a special sub-committee, but as it iniluded the whole Council a snb-com-nittee was necessary to confer with ;he engineer as to the carrying out >f the works from time to time. There had been a great deal of unnecessary carping and his Worship iad taken it into his head that this sub-committee had been set up as a slur on himself, which was certainly lever intended. The Mayor was on the committee and had himself stated that .it was quite right that the committee should have been set ap. The Mayor replied that he had never expressed displeasure at the setting up of the sub-committee; what lie had said was that he was very pleased to see councillors taking a lirect interest in the various public works being carried on. One great reason why the former motion should be rescinded was that the ratepayers objected and he himself objected to so much work being done !n committee. Every matter should 36 dealt with in open Council ex:ept, perhaps, legal matters. The asfc Council had been brought into lisrepute by the same thing but during the past six months the ratepayers had been made acquainted with all that had gone on in the Council and he was certain that they appreciated it.

After a few remarks from several other councillors the motion was put to the meeting and was lost: For.—The Mayor and Or. Olouson. Against.— Ors. Bennett, Nash, Mathieson, Holben, Luxford, Armstrong, Stubbs, Haydon.

The Mayor, in intimating his determination of resigning from the sub-committee said that~Or: Haydon would thus realise his wish.

Or, Haydon said he did not desire the Mayor to resign.

His Worship: You said so last time; perhaps you have changed your mind since.