A LIVELY MEETING.

Otago Daily Times, Volume 13696, Issue 13696, 12 September 1906, Page 5

A LIVELY MEETING.

(FXOB OOS OWH COREI9POHOTKT.) OAMARU, September 11.. A lively mooting of the Eorougli Council took placo this evening on tlio subject of the second storey to tlio Town Hall. The conditions .submitted by Iho proposed deben-ture-holders were referred to the Town Hall Committee by tlio council on Friday last, and as delay was to bo avoided a special meeting of the council was called for this cvoning to consider tho report. At tho. outset l.'r Hose asked tho Mayor if he had on opinion from the solicitor on' the proposals, to which the Mayor replied in the negative. Cr Frnser intervened by 6aying 1 lint the Mayor was'treating the council like a. lot of children. At, last meeting he had distinctly asked tho Mayor if ho would obtain an opinion on the proposals, and be had said ho would. Cr Fraser instanced a case or a few weeks ago when the Mayor wished to carry tho council with him, and when he had secured the solicitor's attendance at a meeting in order to coerce tho council.. The Mayor denied any recollection of the request for tho opinion, but 6tatod that the documents had been shown to the solicitor, though no written opinion was obtained. A motion to refer the matter to tho solicitor was defeated after one of the liveliest sittings held for a. long while, Crs Vernor, M'Adttm, Frasor, and Rose leaving the room before the meeting closed. The report was eventually adopted, frequent efforts lo refer particular points lo the solicitor being successively defeated. The opinion of Mr Martin (Municipal Association's solicitor) has now. been obtained that tho council has no power to lease offices erected on the new Town. Mall siie, but Sir Joseph Ward assured Iho Mayor in Wellington that facilities would ho given to secure the power. Thai U not sufficient in the opinion of the minority of the council, while the majority replies (bat the debentureholders are prepared to accppl; the rents from the lease as their security oven 'if tho title is defective, being satisfied with the council's bona fides.