TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1340, 4 August 1877, Page 4

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Tuapeka County Council was held on the 27th in the Town Hall, Lawrence, for the purpose of electing a Chairman in the room of Mr .G-. F. B. Poynter, who has resigned that position prior to his leaving for Tasmania. Messrs Morrison, Beunet, Bastings, and Kitching were the first to put in an appearance. There were also about 50 of iho town's people present who appeared to be. much interested in the proceedings. Mr J. C. Brown was the the next member who put in an appearance, and as he did so Mr Bastings rose rose and said : Seeing there is a quorum present, I propose that Mr Bennet should take the chair. Mr Kitchino seconded the motion. Here Mr Brown left the room. Mr Bennet took possession of the chair. At this stage of the proceedings, Messrs Brown, Oudaille, Clayton, and Honner entered the room. Mr Brown said that some explanation was needed, and it was necessary that some person should make one, and seeing that he had, during Mr Pointer's absence, occupied the position of Chairman, he would do so. O£ course, as this was an extraordinary vacancy, the first duty of the meeting would be to appoint a Chairman, pro tern. Mr Bennet might inform Mr Brown that he had been appomted Chairman pro tern. Mr Brown : By whom ? The Act stated that no business should take place unless a quorum was presenfi. He knew for a fact that a quorum could not have been present at the time Mr Bennet took the chair, and he therefore presumed that the meeting waa now in a position to elect a Chairman pro tern. Mr Bastings rose to a point of order. Mr Bastings thought tnat Mr Brown was taking a large amount of responsibility upon himself. If he took so much upon himself, he, Mr Brown, should be reasonable. If this Council had appointed an acting Chairman, overything which he had done was ultra vires, as the Council had no power to make such an appointment. The only thing which they could do when the regular Chairman was not present was to elect one to preside over their deliberations for that time. They had waited a considerable time for the other members to put in an appearance. He had proposed, and Mr Kitchen had seconded, that Mr Beunet should take the chair. Clause 12 of the Act stated that a majority consisted of one half of the number of mem* I bers of Council. Pour members were present when Mr Bennet took the chair, and the Council consisted of eight members, consequently a quorum was present at that time. There had been no designing in this matter - it was obtaining the chair which would decide the matter for which the meeting had been called. He stated this as it was best to go at these things straight. Mr Brown contended, by clause 72, that no business could be transacted unless a majority of the members were present. It was best to do these things openly and straightforwardly. If the member for Waipori received the appointment by an illegal vote, he would find that it would be upset. * Mr Bastings rose to a point of order. The Chairman ruled that Mr Brown was out of order, and proceeded to read the notice by which the meeting had been called, and Mr Brown s»id that the Chairman was not legally appoiuted. He (Mr Brown) was not in the room when the motion waa carried that Mr Bennet should take the chair. He had merely come in to get a book. Mr Oudaille said, that it appeared to him that a quorum was not present at the time Mr Bennet took the chair. Mr Brown remarked, that he merely came into the room for the purpose of litting a book, and that he was not present when the

motion waa pat, and he would say, that Mr Bennet '.fas not there legally as Chairman. _ Mr Botching- moved— 1 ' That Mr Bastings should be appointed Chairman of the Couo* cil " ■■_ . Mr Brown: That is not our business. . • Mr Bastings apprehended that they were only to apeak once. He was prepared to. take hia oath that a quorum was present when Mr Bennet was put in the chair. Mr Morrison waa in favour of having tha ■ thing fairly decided. He thought that, too' much was made of the election of Chairman. - He would second Mr Bastings 'a nomination, . as he believed he was the beat man. At the same time, he should like to have seen' a man who would have more interest in tho County than Mr Bastings coming forward and would have been ia fay.our of Mr Clayton if he would come forward. He did not think anything should be said against Mr Bennet now occupying the chair. Surely they could trust him as their Chairman for one meeting. Although he had seconded MrEasting3's nomination, in the event of Mr Clayton coming forward he would support him. Mr Brown thought that they should test whether they had legally appointed a Chair*" man pro tern. rs .*-.. -<A The Chairman remarked that the member for Browns waa in the room when, he was voted to the chair. Mr Brown said he was not in .the rootn*when that proposition was put to the vote/ It seemed as if the opposition were afraia that this matter should see daylight. .'The members were all present now. ' Why not ' put the question to the full meeting ! ' A, quorum of this Council consisted of five. What were' they afraid of ? ■ Mr Morrison thought that the Chairman waa allowing too much liberty to members' in this matter. On Mr Brown again rising] in order to speak, The Chairman ordered him to sit down, and Mr Brown said that he would take hia seat^ when he thought proper, -unless' the Chairman rose to a point of order. • They would have to hear what he had to aay. Mr Bastings rose to a point of order. II Mr Brown had an amendment to propose, he • should do so, and not go into personalities. ■ ■Mr Brown insisted upon, being heard, > and Mr Bastings moved that the Chairman should send for a constable, and read. the bye-law, which provides' that such a thing,, may be done in cases of emergency. ' „ /' . This motion restored quietness. ' ' ' Mr Oudaillk proposed as ah amendment that Mr J.- C. Brown ehould be appointed Chairman of the Tuapeka Council. ' *"" f • - • Mr Honner seconded the motion, but might aay with the member for Clarks, that ' 1 he would have felt better pleased tf< MrClayton had come forward. The two mem>, bera who had been proposed would' most - likely be compelled to be absent for a great" portion of the year, and they were all awara ■ of the inconvenience of not having a reaideut ' Chairman. .'■•>■> -a Mr Brown would also have felt pleased ' if Mr Clayton would allow himself to be nominated. *» • "■< "' After some further discussion, the amend- ' msnt, on being put, was voted for by Messrs Brown, Honner, Oudaille, and Clayton. T . There voted for the motion — Messrs Kitcb* ; .- ing, Bastings, Morrison, and Bennet. ■ - i Mr Brown said that the Chairman had been only appointed pro tern. ; consequently, - he could not vote twice. If he (th.6 Ohair,. man) did" bo, it would show the object he had in view in taking the chair, , and he (Mr. Brown) would consider that a disgraceful one. The Chairman gave his casting vote for the motion. ■ ■ i.,m Mr Brown moved, as another amendment; that Mr H. C. Clayton should be appointed Chairman of the Tuapeka County Council. , Mr Bastings would have great pleasure in supporting that amendment. The Chairman should be a man above suspicion, and he had perfect confidence in themember for Gabriels's integrity and justice. ' Mr Clayton, in the course of a few remarks, said that he would decline the honour. Mr Brown then moved that Mr Morrisoi: should be appointed. ' ' ' ■ • Mr Oudaille seconded the amendment, and . , , .. < The original motion that Mr Bastings. - should be appointed being put, the motion , was carried by five votes to one, Mr Morrison voting against the amendment, Mr Oudaille for it. On Mr Bastings being declared elected, Mr Brown protested against what had been done, and left the room. , ' Mr Bastings thanked the members for the honour which they had conferred upon him,' and, in the course of a few remarks, intimated that he would not accept any salary ' while he held the office.

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