CITY COUNCIL METHODS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 771, 21 March 1910, Page 9

CITY COUNCIL METHODS.

i: Sir,—Under ''the'.' above heading,, and signed-by "Honest" "is "fi letter'ln your issue,of. March -16.'■ The writer'is quito correct'as to : the: maimer in' whioh, Mr. Cannichael's motion was attempted to be defeated' by some councillors • whom the ; "cap appeared to fit.", ; From what I have just learned, it. is high - time:, the law allowing, dealings • between firms and individuals who are members of limited or unlimited companies, when they, or some, or one of them • are also councillors, is amended.. It. is reported that no tender was called for the supply of lanterns to ■be used. as destination,lights, but' the work, was given to' a firm in' which, a councillor has a considerable interest. The amount is a fairly large one—over ,£l5O. How is it that other councillors lend themselves; to this Kind of thing 'without, so. far as the public know,' any protest? . Few ; people are aware of, • the 'advantage a councillor who' is a'' trader, or a mcuiber'of a= trading firm, lias oyer the trader who is:not- a councillor, or has? not' a councillor ;as'i member -of the .'company.''. 'Estimates hre prepared in detail, by'the'cityengineer, each councillor has oile.-of these/ All necessary .information, is. before hinv some time before, tenders, if any, are calkd for; a considerable ! advantage Is, .'therefore, gained to the trading'councillor.. As "Honest" says in. his; letter,; no "wonder, certain, members of the' council stick, to it as they do," and oh the motion :to be discussed at the-council's;nest .meeting it is.to.be hoped;full information will. be given to the public. .■;•'.'..:': .< . ,1 go so far as to say that no individual who; is a trader, either \ori his own or is a member of a company.' likely to be engaged in work for the council, should be competent to act as councillor. It is nonsense to eay good' men';could not be got; in: the. old <1.13"S there were plenty, and there are plenty, now in, the city who would no doubt come forward, but who do not: do so in. consequence of. the unpleasant .things that .apparently go on among certain trading councillors. Ifcouucillors leave the council, chamber in order to ayoid'voting on' such a subject as Mr. Caraiichael's .motion," it is high time they sent in their resignations. It', is to be hoped the'discussion will be open to,the. public, and not in committee. The public naturally suppose that there is no "hanky-pnufcy".in the council, and that everything is fair and above board.: I ask. the citizens to judge of this when reading the evidence, as published in your issue-.of .this, morning;; of Mr. .Ta.it,' the aoting-town clerk, as to the appointment of Mr. Bertling.. It is to be hoped that,some member ot the.Ecserves Committoo will move that the whole'matter of Mr. Be'rtling's "appointment be'gone into; 1 That full explanation will bo given as to how the appointment was made, whether, by the' lleserves Committee or the! council as a whole. How was it that when applications, supposed to close at i p.m. on August 27, 1908, were not closed 1 on that day, but,that 1 an application was made and accepted on September 2 following?: How was. it that certain requirements in connection with the applications .were waived in the. case of. Mr. Bertling?, That Mr. Palmer, the town ■clerk, on his. rotnrn be asked to give the fullest information as to the .conversation' with. Mr. Donne about Bertling, and that it bo published.—l am, etc., FAIR DEALING WANTED. . March 17. '