THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

West Coast Times, Issue 732, 28 January 1868, Page 4

THE MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE

TO THE EDITOB OTt THE WEST COAST TIMES.

See — Your remarks on the proceedings of the Town Council in receiving the gentlemen appointed by a certain public meeting to wait upon or consult with the Council respecting the adoption of the Municipal Act seem to be lompwhat Bevere.ftnd powibty unjust,

The Council is a representative body, and as such has power to regulate its own proceedings withoxit having on every occasion to refer matters brought under its consideration to the public. To do so would only hamper and destroy the effectiveness of its action. The Council did not seek for the adoption of the Act without due consideration. A committee having been specially appointed to report upon the question, and after a careful and protracted examination of its various parts and clauses recommended that the Council should endeavor to bring it into force. The Council cannot stultify itself by immediately cancelling its acts without most cogent and irrefragable arguments and proofs of the impolicy and injustice of such acts.

The committee or deputation appointed to discuss this question with the Council ought to have been prepared to show that the Council had taken a false step in soliciting the Government to bring the Act. into operation.

Instead of this being the case, a large portion of the deputation evidently endorsed the action of the Council, deeming it desirable to adopt the Act, and obtain such amendments as might seem necessary hereafter. The course appearing preferrablc to any attempt to improve the present Muncipal Ordinance, which is in some respects invalid, and has only received a conditional assent subject to some early lapsation. By seeking to improve and revise the prosent Ordinance, the town might be rendered municipally dead — as on a former occasion — through some neglect or inadvertence in passing it through the Assembly, as it probably would have to do before receiving the sanction of Government. lam, &c, One of the Constjxtators.