COUNCILLORS MUST VOTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 692, 17 December 1909, Page 8

COUNCILLORS MUST VOTE.

THE STANDING OKDEES SAY SO.: i^f tt f i^??s, oeme ?, t: ' of last night's meeting of the City Council, the -Mayor '(Dr. Newman) referred to a difference of opinion which naa arisen at the previous meeting. The position, in a word, was that, when a question w ¥j•■before, the.council,. Councillor Hindmarsh \S\H r,V e£ns . e to vote/' - aid-'Hie 1 Mayor-re-plied,; You .must .vote." A.definite ruling had not.been given.on'the point, as, the, Mayor pro- "™ 4?' lo6k int ° position' thoroughly. ■ "■■.J-.V'Mayor-.n6w : romarted-that he" had con-' e!l e h 6h 6 ipattM/.0id,.. according to Rule 73 °-. •%, - S 'Q rders > every councillor must voce..(ilie section reads: "Every member preBentl, when, the question.is put, and'not interested therein, ■must'vote j oth.er.wiso he "shall'be held guilty, of contempt.' If ho has not heard the question put, the Mayor will again state it to liim"] . • ... ..... ,; if' 'a? 3 , ™P° rt ant to note,', however, that when Melrose had been amalgamated with tho city the Standing Orders had not been properly confirmed. Thcy' : were, therefore, invalid., He intended to refer them to the Bylaws Committee, and would ask the council to validate them. He had no further jurisdiction in tho matter, but ho considered that any ■ councillor, who' might not..fall in with his ruling in tho meantime would be lacking in courtesy. While the matter was before the By-laws • Committee, he trusted, that councillors would uphold his ruling. Since he had taken tho Mayoral chair, ho had endeavoured to rubVesactly in accordance with,the Standing Orders,; showing, no'favour...to one councillor more than to another. If the Standing Orders were not to he ..observed, the council would lose in honour and'.dignity of position. He '.hoped -to see the oversight rectified,Varid the .Standing'.Orders-observed. »;•■'.■ ■'Councillor ■Hindmarsh explained that ho .had meant- jno disrespect ..in declining to'' .vote: Things Tiad been confused at the time,'and he had not intended to dispute tho ruling or discretion of the Mayor. ■ >■■ ' ■ Tho Mayor said that he.was glad to have this explanation,. and to know, that councillors supported him in his rulings.