UNDER THE WINDOW.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 159, 25 January 1878, Page 3

UNDER THE WINDOW.

TO.THE EDITOE OF THE AKAEOA MAIL. Sir, —I scarcely like to admit it, but it is nevertheless a fact. 1 was eavesdropping last evening around the Borough Council office, and didn't I wish I had got pluck enough to go inside,.for -I am sure, from ** the manner of the • speeches I heard, or rather overheard, the gesticulations must have been something grand. But how any sensible man could sit there, and for threem quarters of an hour argue as to whether the Mayor was justified in ordering half a dozen closet pans without having called a special meeting to authorise him to do so, I cannot understand. Pshaw ! refer customers to me ; I am.in the holloware line, and will provide anything the public require at a slight advance on invoice cost. But, certainly, our new Council are not an improvement on the old one in this respect. After this there was a long altercation as to the recovery of certain fees paid in respect of dog collars by mistake to the County Council. The mover of the motion was not quite sure as to whether it was Mr A.'s or Mr B.s fees that had miscarried, butthe absurd part of it was in supposing that the Chairman of the County Council %o'uld be able to set the matter right, when m\ the memoranda he receives is that so much has been paid to the credit of the Council fund in respect of dog collar fees without reference as to from where or from whom. Then came on the bitter discussion as to.the dismissal or otherwise of tse Town Clerk. Now, Sir, lam only an $iiteider, but from the quiet position I v hifk i been able to take up, I must say I ■*■" ha-vfe always considered that he has done bis duty by the Council well, and I quite concur in the remarks made by (I think from the sound of the voice)the "Marquis" t that however right it might have been to *"■ insist on his giving security, if that were done, they, having no other fault to find with him, are not justified in discharging hiift". The records of-the office, correspondence, books, &c, * furnish ample witness as to his attention to his duties, while I am quite sure my view of the case is shared in by a large number of my fellowburgesses, and that they would-regret seeing him leave the office; although, were lin his place I should sling it up at once, and leave them to find out their mistake. You. know, Sir, I havp contracted a - habit and listening to other people's sayings and opinions as expressed.!))' them in their private conversations, and I can form a pretty shrewd' guess as to what public opinion on this point will be. There is just another point I should like to mention. I had before the meeting of the council been in and bad a-look at the notice of motion book, and anticipated some fun from Cr Meeeh's motion re the drain from the Hospital, and was much disappointed that he with-drew it without saying any-thing to the point. I thought from his opposition to it on the previous night, in which, by-the-bye, I entirely concurred, that there would have been some fun over it, if only a drain (excuse my bad pun but perhaps you don't see it),however, I shall be looking round again, and perhaps you may again hear from EAVESDROPPER.