SOUTH INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 19757, 3 February 1923, Page 2

SOUTH INVERCARGILL BOROUGH COUNCIL.

To the Editor. Sir,—Your report in Tuesday’s issue, of the “southerly breezes” that sprang up in the Council Chamber on Monday night is amusing, but a sad illustration of the manner in which public officials are badgered in thi? discharge of their official duties by men clothed in “little brief' authority.” Here was an official invested with power by the Council (the Mayor admitted that) to sell borough debentures, and because he took the opportunity, when it came in his way, to sell £lOOO worth of these he was censured by the Mayor and Councillor Jones. The Town Clerk secured this money at 54 per cent, without paying one penny of brokerage, while the Invercargill Borough Council had to pay a big sum in brokerage to obtain some of their money at the same rate of interest as the South Invercargill Borough debentures carry, viz.:— per cent. The South Invercargill Mayor said that the money could be obtained at a lower rate of interest, and that as a matter of business “he should have been consulted.” All this talk is simply fudge. Does the Mayor pretend to know the <financial requirements of the Borough better than the Town Clerk? And to talk so glibly of business! I ask, with all due deference, where did the Mayor acquire his great knowledge of business? His record, as Mayor, so far, does not show any genius in the matter of finances or in the conduct of the Council’s business. His threat to Councillor Holloway certainly does not inspire respect for his ruling. Was he forcibly going to chuck him out? When the Mayor assumed office, two years ago, the public got a good deal of cheap and enjoyable entertainment (vide your report of the Council meetings at that time) and it appears that matters have not improved since. It is clear that the business of the Council is not conducted with that decorum and dignity one would expect in an assembly of city fathers. If harmony and efficiency are to exist in that Council the ratepayers must elect a man of a very different. type to the present Mayor. That is the only remedy to end these ludicrous squabbles.—l am, etc., RATEPAYER.