The Town Council's Functions.

Southland Times, Issue 4951, 10 June 1884, Page 2

The Town Council's Functions.

TO THE EDITOR.,

Sir,— Apparently n conside'rable ferment has been raised in our town by the action of ■> the Town' -Council* in terminating their ea-- r garment 1 with the 'gas manager. ! There arer '.■• several points which strike one as worthy of ;v consideration before condemning 1 their action in this matter. First, the citizens have beenY 'calling for '• retrenchment, but no-sooher does the Council begin to retrench tfcari expressionsof disapproval are loudly made outside, in thb ! interest of some public whom theCouncilin its wisdom saw fit to begin with in ! their retrenching process. This, to say the ' least, looks like outside favoritism. Secondly, ltis well known the gas works', has never yielded 'any profit to help the municipal treasury, as hoped for by the past Councils. May not -the 'Council be justified ia com,mencing their retrenchment operations in ' that quarter, and also in trying what ia new management may effect in the way. of in-v > t proving the revenue from the gas works? But of course somebody's toes get tramped on, and there is an immediate cry of injustice. : itMost officers in the service of publio bodies manage to worm themselves mtTo popular and official favor with some who -will stand by. them in time of need. I question much the wisdom of any such outside interference with the freedom of action of the Town Council — who are supposed to be acting in the best intirjsis of tbo town— as I under* stand is proposed in the shape of ia publio sj. meeting in the interest of the discharged officer. If Councillors a^e to fee subjected to , outside pressure in beLalf of some particular late servant of the Corporation, I should like to know what citizen- with any self-respect, would accept the office of councillor ou Booh terms, — I am, &c., OITiZBN,