MAYOR'S COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3249, 5 July 1872, Page 2

MAYOR'S COURT.

Thursday, 4th July. (Before Hia Worship the Mayor.) Drunkbnxkss.—William Tweedala was fined sa, with the alternative of imprisonment for 24 hours. FicniTiNa.—John King and John Murphy alia* lliley, for fighting in Stafford street, were fined, the first, ss, and the latter 20b, with the respective alternatives of one and three days' confinement, in (iacvl. MUNICIPAL, LIBERALITY. TO TIIK EDITOR. Sir The little "Heathen Chinee " game, as played by the City Council previous to elections, is now. through the inatr> mentality and candour of Mr Councillor llossbotham, fully exposed. That gentleman is reported ! to have said, on seconding the motion of Mr Barnes—" The elections were coming on, Mr Bbrnes was a desirable member, anil if the motion would help that gentleman to stand well with his constituents, he would be glad to see it carried." Noble reasons, indeed. May I be bold enough to ask, would it not be as well to vote, say £50, to each o£ the members that retire, in order to' enable- them to contest the election in their respective wards? The one would be just as reasonable as the other. Why an indirect bonus should be offered to the ratepayers on the eve of an election lamat a loss to know. Now, let us sec how the matter stands. Mr Barnes, who is ever on the watch for She interests of his ward —to his credit be it said— asked the Council to vote about £14 for real, and not imaginary requirements. How Mr Barnes must have chuckled over the liberality of his fellow Councillors, and had his feelings not quite overcome him, he might have said—" Mr Mayor and fellow Councillors : You have this, day placed me. in a very awkward position. I ask for £14, and your generous nature prompted you to give me £50. How shall I ever repay you? Upon second thoughts, I think you would have done better by granting my ward £14, instead of voting £200. Ido not like it, and 1 hereby enter my most determined protest, aa provided in City Council Bye-law, part IL, rule 37."

The voting such a large sum I am convinced is quite illegal, and Parliamentary practice ought to have been adopted on this occasion. The Corporation bye-law on tho subject reads aa follows :—" In all cases not herein provided for, resort shall be had to the rules, forms, and ueagea of Parliament, which shall be followed as far as tho same arc applicable to the proceedings of the Council"—l am, &c, Mak abodt Town,

THE NEVADA'S SHAFT. TO TUB KDITOK. Silt—-I see in your paper that the Nevadais leaving this port by advice of Mr J)ou&la», ot the Dredge, and others, and i» to proceed nnder easy steam to her next poirt of call, ia order that her engine shaft may be repaired. Now, I ask any man if that is not a dingrace to the whole of Otago, that a job like that should be taken away ; or rather, that our Government should allow such a job to bo ecnt away, when, with a very little moneywell laid out, nil jobs of that kind could be clone in Fort Chalmers. I would not advise the Government to put up work-shops om their own Dock ground, because that is taking away what littlo bonclit the Dock would bring to the holders of property in. Port Chalmers, and I consider it not to be fair for the Government to compete with, private individuals, with public money. No j. but 1 would advise the Government to Interest themselves in the matter, and get workshops suitable for doing that kind of work put up in close proximity to tho Dock. There is ground thereabout, and though I know it ia valuable and will take some money to get it, still it is to be got, ami we of Port Chalmers must see that something of the kind ia done, or the place will bo ruined by that very Dock and Railway, whereas it ought to be unproved by them.—l air, &c, 11. D» Port Chalmers, July 4th.