PERMISSION REFUSED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 880, 5 December 1916, Page 2

PERMISSION REFUSED.

MATTER OF A SUNDAY MEETING. THE MINERS' GRIEVANCES. A letter was received by the Christchurch City Council last evening, from Mr Fred. R. Cooke, secretary of the New Zealand Socialist Party, asking for permission for the holding of a public meeting in one of the city theatres next Sunday, for the purpose of hearing an address by a miners' delegate on the present West Coast trouble, and for permission to take up a collection to defray expenses. Cr McCombs: I move that permission be granted. Cr Millar seconded. The Mayo l ' was pulling Ihe motion when Cr Reynolds rose. "I move an amendment that permission be refused," he said. The Mayor: That is a direct negative. You can vole against the motion. Cr Cooper: I demand a division. The motion was put without discussion, and a lie, seven votes each way, resulted. Those who voted for the motion were Crs Herbert, Sullivan, McCombs, McCullough, Millar, Burgoyne, and Beanland. The noes were the Mayor, and Crs Cooper, Hayward, Reynolds, Peek, Williams, and Scott. The Mayor gave his casting vote against the motion. He explained that he "thought that in such times as these such meetings could not possibly do any good. Cr McCombs objected that the vote had been a silent one, and he thought an opportunity should be given for those who voted against it to give their reasons. "And, if I might say so, it was rather a cowardly vote," he added. Cr Reynolds pointed out that no reason had been given either for or against the motion. Cr Williams: Those who moved the motion had an opportunity to speak. Cr Burgoyne: Far better to let the public know what it is than to keep it concealed from them. Cr McCombs: British free speech!