OUR AUGEAN STABLE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 387, 20 April 1880, Page 2

OUR AUGEAN STABLE.

To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail. Sir,—As your leader upon the Borough Council may, if followed up, work a public good, I beg to contribute my experience as a Councillor. After holding the office about twelve months, I sent in my resignation to the Mayor, giving, as my reason, that the Council had lapsed into such a state that municipal matters could be put on a proper footing only by the whole Council being reconstituted. For the state into which the Council had then fallen, and which has since become worse, tho Mayor is solely to blame. It is painfully apparent to any one who may attend the meetings, that his Wort-hip is utterly unfit for the post he holds. Who, for instance, but the Chairman, is to blame for allowing Councillors to take their seats, not onoe or twice, but

time after time, more or less under the influence of liquor; for allowing one member to call another a liar; or last, but not least, for permitting a Councillor to call himself (the Chairman whilst acting as such) a" d d old woman " ? But the shortcomings of our Mayor, I regret io say, do not end here. The Borough in its present bankrupt state, has to thank him for a positive loss of £140, which might and could have been recovered, on account of footpaths, from the owners of property fronting on them. But, sad to relate 1 the whole of this was lost because the paltry sum of £6 thereof was due from himself for the improvement of his own property by the making of some two chains of footpath. At two meetings at which I was present, did his Worship rise and ask, in themost unblushing manner, whether it was liksly he was going to assist in the matter, seeing that he himself owed £6 I The result of his obstruction, was that the collection having been driven out till over two years after the striking of the rate, the whole £140, though justly due, can no longer be recovered. It is, indeed, lament able to think that the head of the Borough should thus betray the interests which the ratepayers have entrusted to his care.

Although, Mr Editor, I have trespassed greatly on your space, I feel that my letter would be incomplete without a line being devoted to the Councillor who offends every sense of decency, in appearing at meeting after meeting in such a state as to be unfit fcr business. Whilst I was in the Council there was scarcely a meeting held at which he did not spring on his legs, like a Jack-in-the Box, and inflict on members his views twice or thrice upon every subject that came up for discussion. Such a person is, at any time, a serious hindrance to business ; but when he so mis-conducts himself that the meeting positively breaks up on account of his disorderly conduct, it is time, indeed, that ratepayers should take action towards putting ah end to such a public scandal.

Trusting ratepayers will take the Council in hand,. and effect a thorough reformation.

I am, &c,

Akaroa, April 19.

W. H. HENNING.