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Southland Times, Issue 9162, 10 March 1886, Page 2

Tea general outcry for retrenchment in the public expenditure seems to have brought about a fit of severe economy in some of our Municipal Councils. In Invercargill for instance we have had a squabble, an our readers know, about paying the enormously heavy earn of eighteen shillings for tho confectionery consumed by a part,) of councillors in their recent trip to the Dunsdale Creek— the Major having determined not to provide any " driakablte," in order presumably tbat the quality of the water mrght be thoroughly tested in its undiluted state. This very modest "bill of costs " was taken excepttioo to by a keen scented councillor, with the result that after a highly intellectual discassion the matter has been hung up, like a veritable eword of Damocles, over his Worship's head. Strange to cay, in the Wellington Oiry Council tha other day a long and animated discussion arose over an account of LI 10e for the supply of a bottle of whisky, a dozen of ale, half a dozen of ginger ale, a dozen of lemonad 0 , a dozen of soda water, beaides sundry glasses broken, the refreshments having been consumed by some of tbe Wellington City Councillors while on a visit of inspection to tbe reservoir of the water works at Waiuni-o-mata. The virtuouslyinclined councillor who protested against the bill being paid naively remarked that he had no objection to people drinking whisky, but he most decidedly protested against the liquor being provided out of the city funds. A question hereupon arose.. aa to who really did drink the wbieky, it having been stated that the cabman had consumed all the spirituous liquor whioh the bottle contained. As the discussion progressed one councillor eapientiy observed that in future his brother members would act wisely if they took their own lunch with them. Another councillor, a legal gentleman to boot, heroically looked upon the important business ia hand as a matter of principle. If every other member of the Council paid a share (about eighteenpence a head) he would btill refuse to pay. And ho would rather give up his seat than pay! Tbe Mayor, #ith aa evident desire to allay tho angry passions whioh had been evoked on the momeDtouß question, Venture! to congratulate the Council upon the preponderance of teetotal drinks ia the little bill) whioh called the objecting councillor 0 to his lega in a somewhat mixed state, for that worthy commenced his reply by Btating that be bad listened to a lot of talk from learned teetotallers who could drink whisky ; but unfortunately for posterity, tbo etrearn of tbe worthy man's eloquence was incontinently dried up by hia fellowmemberß retiring from the scene and leaving the Council without a quorum,