THE GAS QUESTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6312, 9 August 1888, Page 3

THE GAS QUESTION.

Captain Garsia's Protests The protest, handed to the Chairman of.' the public meeting last night by Captain Garsia, against the legality of the proceedings of the City Council in regard to -the gas question, waa baaed on Clans© 36*-*. /of "The Municipal Corporations Act, 1886," which provides that where _gaswork3 are at any time established •lor th© supply o£ gaa in any Borough, under the authority of an Act of the General Assembly, it shall not be lawful forth©' Counoil to establish any other gasworks to supply the same locality, or any part thereof, except nnder the authority of a. special Act in tbat behalf. In reply to this protest it is pointed ont that the Council intend to apply for a special. Aot at the. next-session of Parliament, as it now toolate to pass one thia present. Bessie©, and that tbey are not yet establishing' gasworks, bat merely obtaining tbe authority ofthe ratepayers to raise a loan to enable them to do so. Another objection which, afc is. eaid, has-, been takenrto the^Counoirtwictlon, though not «__iaded to. in Captain Gar____u'a protest, is that tbe meeting of burgesses to consider tbe proposal waa not called by the. Mayo-TV *nd *was therefore illegal, as Section 179 of the Municipal Coqwiatlanß Act provides that —the ___wot -ohall caU a meeting of the borgesaea, in order to- consider pjropo_«_B , ■tm loana It mil be rcm_?mbe-.ed, however, feabflie Ciiy-Cwinc^, by r-wolal-ion,, a»y_K-yte-IGoTn-cillo-* HutbertMmd Pnadbee -to-acb on -tanal-V oi t-_*a._-fa*yor during bis

| absence in Melbourne, and under the authority thus given tho public meeting ! waa called. I It must bo remembered that the poll of the ratepayers for sanctioning the loan will take place on Thursday next. Ab was urged at the meeting of citizens, it is of ! the utmost importance that every rate- ( ! payerwho is in favour of the proposal should record his vote, for to sanction the loan requires a majority of the burgesses on the roll, and also a majority of tbe number of votes which can be exercised by the whole body of burgesses. It is notified that a meeting of the Committees which have been formed \ in order to attend to the work of bringing : the ratepayers to the poll, and of others interested, will bo hold at the City Council Chambers, at 7.30 p.m. to-morrow.