A STORMY INTERLUDE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7345, 25 January 1911, Page 9

A STORMY INTERLUDE

COUXCILLOHS' HEART-TO-HEABT TALK. Discussion provoked by motions of Councillor Piper at the Petone Borough Council's meeting last evening led to an interchange of personalities. The motions were (a) That the resolution adopting the engineer's report at a meeting of the council held on .January 9th be rescinded; (bj that all reference to tho i'ailure of Mr Mcyriek's gas supply bo deleted; (c) that tho report as altered bo* adopted. The Mayor explained that Mr Meyrick sent a messenger to the council's gasfitter to ask him to repair a fault in his gas service. The messenger went to the Council Chambers instead of to tho workshop, findaxig them closed, the time being a.m. A load-sweeper told him they would not be open tiil i) o'clock, and he returned with the information, which he retailed to his employer in such a way that tho latter concluded that tho gaslitter had refused to effect the required lepairs'until 9 o'clock. Mr Meyrick in turn gave this version to Councillor Piper, who referred to it at a subsequent council.meeting, and tho engineer was asked to report. At tho next meeting, the report came that there was no foundation in the statement that Mr Meyrick had complained of the failure of his gas supply, and Councillor Pipor characterised this report as "an abominable lie."

In speaking to his motion last evening, Councillor Piper said he wished to apologise to the council for having been misled in tho matter. He further expressed regret .at the unparliamentary language he had used, but did not feel called upon to withdraw anything he had said. He felt compelled to state that the reports furnished by the coxtncil's officers could not always be relied upon. He quoted a city newspaper to support this statement. Councillor Southgato said they were not responsible for what the newspaper in question said, any more than they were responsible for ■ what Councillor Piper said. ■ CounciUor Brocklebank stated that at the time ho had complained about the brevity with which the engineer had treated tho matter in his report,, while giving more space to another matter beside the point. - Councillor Southgate stated that Counr cillor Piper had complained about the council's men not going out when asked to —not about anything else. As the Mayor's statement clearly proved, the men had never been asked to go. Councillor Short declared that tho whole trouble had arisen through Mr Meyrick sending a messenger without brains. Councillor Piper should have had sufficient acumen to have made some inquiry before coming to a council meeting with such a paltry attack on thettr officers. It was abominable that business men, whose time was of value, should have to put up with such twaddle as CounciUor Piper was continually wast ing their_ time upon. He felt very .warm on the matter, and almost felt like moving a vote of censure on Councillor Pipor. He earnestly hoped there would be no further twaddle. ..

Councillor List 6aid he, too, had had quite enough of listening to cock-and-bull yarns. This was not the first, nor. the second. It was a great pity one councillor should he continually trumping up some complaint which anyone with the least common-sense would have inquired into before bringing it out. Councillor Piper, in reply, stated that if anything was wrong he was there to see about it "If I think anything requires investigation I will not hesitate to demand it. The ratepayers put me here for that purpose, and I will carry it out, in spite of the utterly ridiculous manner in which : Councillor Short pb-' | jected. Surely I have as much commonl sens*, as Councillor Short—surely anyone must have as much coinmon-sen6e as a man. who thought that all women should be indoors at it o'clock! Tfie matter, 1 am complaining about " Councillor Southgate: "You don't know what you're complaining about." Councillor Piper: " I'll tell you. in a minute if you'll be quiet." He was proceeding to detail a conversation, between himself and the Mayor, when the latter interrupted : " I must pull you up there, Councillor Piper.-" Councillor Piper (warmly): Why do you interrupt me? I don't interrupt you. The Mayor explained, and Councillor Piper proceeded. It had been made clear, he said, that the gas-fitter was not to blame. He felt very glad that this was so. " . •'.".'..

Councillor''Southgate: It was only your I cock-and-bull yarn that made him Councillor Piper (warmly): I must protest Against these interruptions, sir 1 | Councillor Southgate is continually ini terrupting, and I will not have it 1 (Shouting): You are an unmitigated bully, CounciUor Southgate 1 Put him out, sir! Put him out! , (Disorder.) You may have tho right..to interrupt me, your Worship, but ao on© else while I am on my feet. The Mayor said he was eorry Councillor Piper, both that evening and at thenlast meeting, should have made use of language that was certainly not allowable. He had allowed him considerable latitude in the past, but now felt it his duty to he more severe. For the future no motion containing strictures on any of the council's officeiß would be allowed unless due notice was fciven. Nothing in the nature of surprise packets was reasonable or fair. Councillor Piper's motion was then put and lost, the mover and CounciUor Trueman being tho only supporters.