Municipal Matters in Gore.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 13

Municipal Matters in Gore.

TO THK EDITOR.

Sir,— As Mayor of Gore, lam always ready to submit to any reasonable criticism of my words and actions without complaint. I have to enter an emphatic protest, however, against the astoundingly unfair aud one-elded report of a recent special meotingof the Goreßorough Council furnished you by your Gore correspondent, and which appears In your last issue. Its ahametully pattisan character is betrayed in almost every sentence, and I can only wonder that you allowed to appear in your p»per a communication that le certainly unworthy a place in any reputable journal. Ab I have Bald, the writer's animus is shown all through tho so-calli'd report. Here are a few apeoimena: The speech of the opposing councillor Jo designated " an admirablo statement of the case." The Mayor twice ruled him out of order, but " without in the least disturbing him " ; and " loud applause from the spectators " followed the conclusion, of hta address. So much for tho one side. Mow for the other. The Mayor (sa\a your correspondent) " peremptorily refused," iind again he ''flatly refused" to allow a certain tiling. He addressed a councillor " in much the same tone as a pedagogue would speak to a disobedient schoolboy." He "Instantly ruled" that a motion was out of order. (" This amazing piece of impudence" is your cot respondent's comment on this.) The mayor " indulged In a long, excited harangue to the public." ("Shame to say, the councillors submitted," is another of your correspondent's remarks en passani.) When tho mayor concluded there were cheers, but your correspondent deolarea them to have been. " apparently Ironical." The mayor "shouted," he was " obstinate," he " exoicedly ordered " a councillor to sit down ; the mayor was "standing up, excited and gesticulating"; he "ordered the town clerk, sotto voce, to enter the awful judgment." Again, sir, I have to express my surprise, and also my regret, that such a blatantly vulgar and unfair communication should have found a place in your columns. I forward you a locw.l paper containing a lull report of the meeting, from which you will see what an extraordinarily one-sided account your correspondent has foisted on you Were Ito say that I have had to decline to further employ a certain gentleman in Gore [as tho reason given by the writer is a matter of private opinion and does not affect tho argument, we omit it. - KdJ, you and your readers might find a caune for tho animus which characterises the report In question.— Yours, &0., Gore, May 12. I. S. Simson, Mayor.