THE LAST MEETING OF THE HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8986, 17 September 1892, Page 3

THE LAST MEETING OF THE HARBOUR BOARD.

10 THE EDITOR. Sir,—l read the letter under the above heading in your today's issue signed " W. Crowther," but should not have felt called upon to reply had the writer not have been the Mayor of Auckland, who should be an authority upon the procedure of public business, and who should certainly not support a chairman who is palpably in the wrong. Mr. Crowther says : ' The chairman could do no other than ask him (Mr. Butcher) to vote, and in my opinion Mr. Alison had no right to dictate.to the chairman." Now, sir, there was no dictation on my part. I took exception to what I consider to be unfair and improper procedure on the part of the chairman, who I contend had no right to influence a member's vote after the discussion had closed, and whilst he was putting the amendment. What Mr. McMillan, who was strongly opposed to the motion, did was this :—He said, "Gentlemen, I will now put the amendment," and called for a show of hands in favour of the same. Finding there was a minority in favour of the amendment, and before asking for the votes against, he said to Mr. Butcher, How are you voting, Mr. Butcher? you are for the amendment, are you not?" This I contend is entirely wrong procedure. Mr. Crowther says it is right. Had the chairman taken the voting for and against, and found a member had not voted, he would be quite justified in saying, " Mr. So-and-se, you have not voted ; how do you wish to record your vote?" The question at issue, then, is this— Is it proper procedure for a chairman when taking a division, and having called for a show of hands in favour of an amendment, to ask a member, previous to taking the votes against, " How do you intend to vote? You are in favour of the amendment, are you not?" The Mayor of Auckland says it is. I say it is not. and am prepared to donate £25 towards the Auckland City Council Library if I am wrong, Mr. Crowther to donate a similar sum to the Devonport Library if he is wrong—the question to be decided by a competent authority to be mutually agreed upon, such as Sir Maurice O'Rorke.—l am, etc., . E. W. Alison. September 16.