A COUNCIL AND THE PRESS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 482, 15 April 1909, Page 6

A COUNCIL AND THE PRESS.

Mention of the relations between the city press and the Onslow Borough Council was made at last night's meeting of that body.

Tho minutes of the previous meeting were read at 9.40 p.m., and then tho Mayor (Mr. J. G. Harkness) remarked that, at a statutory meeting held at Khandallah, when he laid tho council's loan proposals before tho ratal-payers, ho referred in. a jocular manner to tho reports which were generally found in tho papers in reference to the meetings of tho council. . That was taken up by a portion o£ tho press, and severe strictures wore passed upon tho council for tho manner in which it conducted its business. "I intend to say, and say advisedly—and I have had a varied experience on a large number of public bodies—" continued tho Mayor, "that I have never known a body that conducted its business any better than this council. (Hear, hear.) I declare emphatically that the statements are incorrect. So far as I am personally concerned, I havo given every consideration to tho press, and havo always been desirous that the meetings 6hould be reported, and T think it only right to tho council and myself to mako this statement. _ I am pleased to add that I havo never presided over a body of men who showed moro efficiency." > Councillor J. E. Fitzgerald did not consider tho press statements altogether incorrect; it was merely stated that tho reporters attended tho meetings and were told that the council was in committee. It w true that tho council went into committee for somo considerable,, time in the evening! the reason why the meetings were not _ reported • was timply because they were continually in committee, and they sat to a very late hour, so that the reporters had to snatch information here and there. After somo further discussion the discussion, ended.