TWO PROTESTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 24, 22 July 1911, Page 2

TWO PROTESTS

THE CONDUCT OF BOARD | MEETINGS. The chairman of the Harbor Board j had a tilt at the -local newspapers yesterday morning. With his eyes fixed on the Press table, he made a few remarks oa the alleged necessity for | erecting lights on the wharf to prevent accidents. Mr. Gannett doubted itlie accuracy of the newspaper reports of swi accident which occurred on the wharf the other day, and said that the newspaper men seemed to listen to the man on the street corner, so anxious were they to fill the papers. The reporters at that time were endeavoring to make sense of the notes they had snatched during a discussion on the proposal to

amend the existing Harbors- Act. The member? hsid all had a very good innings, as is usual at the Harlwr Board meeting, some times one member spoke, sometimes two, sometime* lour, and on two occasions seven seemed to be talking at once, and hardly anybody seemed to be listening to the man that the reporters- were endeavoring to follow. The chairman's slighting remarks as to the conduct of the newspapers drew from the reporters a mild protest about the manner in which the meeting was conducting itself, and the difficulty of reporting it, and they informed the chairman that the notes on the debate mentioned had to be The chairman agreed that at one time lie was the only silent member—as a matter of fact there was a.not her occasion when Mr. Swadling was tbe only gentlemaa, present who was not talkim.'. When the Board resumed after luncheon, the chairman referred to tlie matter, and, rising from his seal:, snid that there was need for a better way of conducting the Board's meeting. He asked that every member wishing to speak would address the chair, that only one member speak at once, and that 110 member should speak more than onee on any one subject. Unless they did something in this way they would keep on drifting, and he would be unable to keep them in order. If any member wanted to speak twice, let him first obtain the permission of the Board. If there were any question on which a memiber wanted to apeak often, tho Board could go into committee. "We wasted a' lot of time this morning." ho concluded. The members of the Board soon came into line. Members rose when wishing to speak, or, if they forgot to tender this respect to the .presiding chairman, they were promptly called on to attend to the rttle that he had laid down .

The Board continued' the debate of the morning, but unfortunately it was not commenced de novo, so that, having lost its continuity, the discussion' could not be reported.

Before an hour had elapsed the charman found occasion to remind members that they were kicking over the traces, three members talking at once without going through the formula he had prescribed.