BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 640, 19 May 1882, Page 2

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held last evening, for tlio purpose of receiving the report of the Conference of tho previous evening re Library site. Present—His Worship (he

IVtiyor, and Onf Harrison, Bird, St jHill, Ivesa, Parkin,. Roberts, Orr, and Bullock.

The Town Clerk read the report df the Conference embodied /-in the resolution passed by Or Iveas, recommending the adoption for, the Library site of , the section originally asked for by the Library Committee. ' -

The'Mayor then briefly stated the position of affaire, tracing theiiistory of the “ battle of the sites ” down to that night, and again stated that lie had, in suggesting the Fire Brigade site only done his best in the interests of the public. He wished to disclaim any personal or selfish motive in the matter, arid thought that the Fire Brigade would benefit equally with other sections of the public by {having the Library built on the. section they occupied. - He was still of.‘opinion that there wbs room enough there for both the Library and the Brigade station. A£the Conference on the previous evening the Brigade had plainly told them that they had made up their minds to oppose the section they occupied being interfered with, and he had never expected anything else. It would have been far better if the Brigade had objected at the public meeting held at the Town Hall. The conference meeting he regarded as a mere farce, and, ho repeated, it could not be expected that it would result differently to the way it hid resulted. His Worship went on to remark that lie thought Or Harrison had acted inconsistently in connection with the site question. Or St. Hill warmly advocated the Belgrade section as a site for the Library, and thought the public wish expressed at the Town Hall meeting ought to be respected. He was altogether opposed.to the use of Baring square east, and thought that to use it would be “ the grossest act of vandalism perpetrated in the, nineteenth century.” He had worked hard in connection with the Library, so hard that he had been rewarded by being called a “pig-headed obstructionist” by the e vening paper. Returning to the point at issue the speaker said it would be a traitorous act if the public vote bn the q uestion of site was to be set aside. The Council were bound in honor to respect the public feeling on the question. He did not undervalue the in a matter of this sort was of opinion that the latter body should give place to the public. . Or Friedlander hero entered the roam. Crdvess in moving the adpption of , the conference report, had no Wish to oppose public opinion, but it was just possible public opinion was wrong on this matter. The Brigade had done good service in its ' time to the Borough, in protecting life and property, and it would be a poor re- ' ward for their efforts if they were to be 1 turned off their reserve. ; Or Harrison entirely failed to see _the

justness of the accusations made against him for want of consistency. He would repeat once more that on the night of the public meeting he was feeling very unwell, besides which he was unprepared for the resolution proposed by his Worship the Mayor, and on these accounts he sat quietly in his seat. He was opposed to the taking away the Brigade’s reserve because it was the most central site in town, and the most central site ought to be occupied by the Brigade. Or Orr thought that this question of site was occasioning a storm in a teapot. There was plenty of room'on the Brigade section for both the Library and the Brigade station, and it could not be improved on as a position for either. He was merely stating his oyn unbiassed opinion in saying this, for he had been tob busy to discuss the matter with anyone, and had not even read the recent reports in the papers on the subject. The Mayor then moved,an amendment to Or Ivess’s motion, to tho effect that the Council should give a portion of the reserve occupied by the Fire Brigade to the Library Committee as a site for the Library, and that the Brigade should he offered the option of sharing the said reserve with the Committee or of removing to the section partially occupied by the municipal buildings, and that in the event of the Brigade.electing to adopt the latter course, that the Council should pay the expense of the removal. Or Bullock had very great pleasure in supporting the amendment, and in doing so would again remark that they ought not to look on this as a personal question, but a; a public matter. Not their own benefit or advantage should be considered, but the general benefit. They ought;.-. for every reason, to carry out the desire of the public expressed at. the largely attended Town Hall meeting. After some further discussion, the motion and amendment were put, with the following results . For tha motion—Cra Iveas, Roberts, Parkin, Bird, and Harrison. For the amendment—Crs Bullock, St Hill, Friedlander, Orr, and his Worship the Mayor. The votes Were thus equal. His Worship the Mayor said .he had, much pleasure in giving his casting vote in favor of the amendment, for he thought it very desirable that it should be carried. The proceedings then terminated.