THE CITY COUNCIL. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6384, 29 July 1882, Page 3

THE CITY COUNCIL. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —It would appear that the proceedings of our representatives in tho City Council are' vory imperfectly reported to the citizens. Lately many important matters wore bronght before tho Council of vital importance to the public, of which they havo hoard absolutely nothing, and unless there be somo more regular and reliable method of giving publicity to tho business done in Council, many measures may bo passed there which may prove extremely injurious to the public, and very difficulUto got afterwards remedied. I may mention that one matter closely affecting the interests of merchants and traders in tho city, which was brought before tho meeting on last Tuesday, and which havo been dealt with in a way prejudicial to general interests, has not even been alluded to iv any of the newspaper reports of the proceedings. I refer to tho matter of the storage of kerosene within the city. After a good doal of discussion, the question was referred to a committee for roport, and it is very probable that the whole mattor will be definitely disposed of at the next meeting of the Council without the public having been aware that such a subject was before them, and they may wake up to find that the Council have gono back to something like the old regulation which prohibited more than eight cases being stored in any one place—a regulation which the mercantile community had no option but to systematically ignore. In addition to this question of kerosene storage, there was another matter before the Council, about anew contract for tar, and during the discussion of this it "came out" that a contract was already in oxistence which had not been observed, although the Council held a bond for £200 against any breach of its provisions. Other matters could be easily mentioned, but these are sufficient to show that it is desirable and necessary that fuller reports should be given of the proceedings of our Council,-=-^1 am, &c, July 28th. [With regard to the storage of kerosene, the matter will come up in report from the Public Works Committee at a future meeting, and any discussion upon it then will be reported. The reference to it at last meeting was merely a passing one. Tho question as to tho tar contract js also to be brought up again.—Ed. O, D, T.] -