MAYOR AND COUN= CILLOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 780, 1 April 1910, Page 7

MAYOR AND COUN= CILLOR.

INSINUATIONS ARE RESENTED. A PASSAGE AT ARMS. When the Miramar Borough Council was about to consider accounts last evening, Councillor Muir moved the indignation of tho Mayor (Mr. C. J. Crawford) by a series of complaints against individuals. Without suggesting a motion, Councillor Muir began to hold forth bitterly because some lamps had been left burning through moonlight nights. He appeared to blame the borough-engineer (who ho said received a salary of. .£250 a year), for not seeing that they were put out. The Mayor stated that the man directly responsible for the lighting wa3 paid, a very small -salary for tho work. "We can't be abusive to a' man who gets ss. a week from the borough. We can get all these things done if we pay for them. We pay a miserable pittance, and we get them done well enough for what wo pay. We can't have everything in Miramar." A councillor: Would it not be better to pay a little more and get them done better? The Mayor: Perhaps it would. Councillor M'Leod said it might be laid down strictly that the lamps were not to be lighted oh moonlight nights. . The Mayor said that there had formerly been' a regulation to this effect in the city, but the nights which should be moonlight according to the almanac were often overcast in point of fact. They could not regulate the weather. clerk stated that the lamps were not supposed to be lighted on moonlight nights. Councillor Muir then moved: "That -tho engineer be instructed to live in the borough." There should bo a, man to see that duties were carried out. The Mayor: I must refuse that motion. I absolutely refuse to have these discussions brought on in this way. It is as gross discourtesy to any man sitting at this table as you can possibly have, to move a motion in this way, and I won't have it. You can move it at the proper time. Councillor Muir replied that he was there to look alter the interests of the ratepayers, and that the Mayor shut him up every timo. The Mayor retorted that the ratepayers' interests were his concern also, and moved that the council consider accounts. Tho motion was agreed to. Councillor Muir, however, had other complaints and' criticisms to bring forward, and tho. Mayor found occasion to protest ouco more against his "insinuations and reflections." The final grievance of tho persistent councillor was -the conduct of,; a clerk, who, he was informed, was not in the , council's employ. Ear from being disconcerted by this reply,. Councillor Muir at once wanted to know the full particulars of staff arrangements made at a past date by the council. Another councillor suggested that- this information could have been gained without tho waste of public timo by an inquiry at the office during tho week. Councillor Muir continued to make his complaints, and was asked by the" Mayor if he would kindly move a motion, "and keep your motion and remarks within corporation language." A motion asking for a return of information was then framed and agreed to by members without discussion. ' Councillor Muir signified that. he. had other grievances to ventilate, but the Mayor was reading out'accounts to an attentive council, and his chance did not come again.