RESERVES INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1538, 6 September 1912, Page 7

RESERVES INQUIRY.

COUNCIL TALK IT OUT.' MORE POINTED THAN PLEASANT. S&foe h.eated N discussioh took place at tut'-City Council meetiug last evening during the debate on the motion for the adoption of the 'report of the Special Committee set up to inquire into the control of the city reserves. Details of the report were published some six weeks ogo,. and the matter was before tho council meeting a fortnight'later; when a number of councillors spoke. Tho discussion was continued last night. Speaking to the motion for the adoption of the report, Councillor Shirfcliffe expressed the opinion that it was extremely regrettable thnt there had ever been an inquiry at all. The cost would be something like .£IOO, and all they had for it was this marvellous document. (A councillor interjected that the cost had been -Councillor Shirtoliffe said that if tha dost had only been £&0, he still did Hot think the Council had £Sd to throw away on an inquiry of such a nature.

Councillor Fletcher: That's a matter ol cpinion.

Tile whole repdrt, continued Councillor Shirtoliffe, fra9 a sequence of Yes-No findings. It was, moreover, a gross reflection on Jlr.Olen, who was a competent man, and had -carried, out his duties with a great deal of success. Ever since he 1 tdflk lip duty he had been subjected to a series of pin-pricks by members or tho .committee, and his Authority over the tnen had thereby been undermined. ' There" were clauses iu the report Which he considered should be deleted, but he'would give way to Coiinoilloif- Atkinson, who was going to move an amendment.

Councillor Fletcher considered that *hen referring to Mr. Glen being sub' [ecte'd to pin-pricks by members of the committee,-' Councillor Shirtcliffo should lave given, names. Councillor-Shirtcliffe declined to do 60;

"Wasteful and Futile Inquiry." Councillor. Atkinson declared that though he had spent a good many years in public life, he did not think that ho had ever been on a more wasteful or fntile inquiry than this Ono. Partisanship had protracted the proceedings. They liau Councillor Frost, KiC, on one side, and Conricill6r Fletcher, K.C., on the other. The proceedings had been begun on April 5, and here they were only just "winding up on September 5. Councillor lAtkinson instanced the time that had been wasted in- calling witnesses who were of Bo value. One, for instance, >liad been asked: "You are a married man?" and the reply was: "No, but I intend.to be eoon." That was tho sort of stuff that had prolonged the'inquiry over ten sittings, and over the best. part of three months. There were parts-of. the report that did not' reflect favourably on the intefligence-.pf the committee. He agreed with Councillor Shirtciiffe that t)io general effect of the report did an. Injustice .to Mr..Glen....Sumo of tho testimony given as to Mr. Glen's W'Ork Was..something 'which ho could be proud of. Ho moved as an amendment: "That'the'parts' of the 'report reflecting -Oil 'Mr:' Gleii bo deleted, and that it be placed Oh .record that the .ftt'ect of the inquiry redounded to his credit-." . „ ..-,-:

Mr.-' Gcdber seconded tho amendment. ■He felt that Mr.. Glen had come out of the inquiry with flying colours. He (Councillor- Goober) was of opinion that, 'if Councillors Fletcher and Frost had been out of ( the inquiry, it could have- been dealt with, in one-twentieth of tho time.' After quoting samples of evidence, Councillor Godber went oil to say that he thought the whole inquiry was a disgraco to the dOuncil.

Councillor Fitzgerald then said that he had ,not .intendeil to speaki as he Was bo disgusted'- with" the \vholo and it would tako a good deal of'persuasion fb get him on to any other committee required. He merely ross now to make a few corrections' in soiue of the speeches »ade. Ho had no objection to the recommendation's ■ brought down or to the amendment mover!. Councillors Barber, .and. Fuller also Spoke.

Councillor Fletcher and the Mayor in Grips. . Councillor Fletcher' wished to epCalt, "but was filled Out of Order on account of having spoken to. the.inotion. He,,however,' protested that ho had a right to speak to the amendment, and asked the ilayor to naffle the rule which precluded, him •from doiug so. The Mayer declined to' do so, but insisted that Councillor Fletcher could net 6peak further. ', , Councillor Fletcher: Very well, I will take an opportunity cf placing my vieijs. before tba press. ' ' . , - Presently Councillor Fletcher left the room and closed the door after him with emphasis, but subsequently returned and resumed his seat. ',/,.',. . Councillor TravOr, who did not desire. t6 Bp-:alc, suggested that the motion should then be put. Before this was done, the Mayor ex-pm-ed a desiro to 'my a few words about the attitude Of Councillor Fro3t. He then went on to state that, before the Council. Councillor Frost had objected aO paragraphs in the report, which :wcro practically (ho same as those in a draft report prepared by the councillor himself.' That was a most unscrupulous— Councillors objected to tho word. • Tho Mayor withdrew "unscrupulous," but would say that Councilor. Frost's methods had-bcen -tricky.When the, Mayor had concluded, Counfcillor. Frost' iisked -if he had the right of reply. The Mayor ruled that ho had not. but subsequently allowed a personal explanation'. Councillor Frost was speaking when Councillor, Fletcher objected to his going outside the limits of a personal explanation. The Mayor had been quite wrong in his previous ruling, but should bo consistent with all councillors, Councillor Frost said that he had been accused of making a cross attack on the Mayor. He only wished to say that the Mayer (lid not know the diff»renc« bstween a gross attack end general criticism of tho report. The amendment wfts then carried, and tnr> renoH a* amended was ndented.

Councillor Fletcher voted aeainst the -whole of the amendment, and the Mayor voted against anything being deleted from tin report. After th<s vote had been token, Councillor Fletcher drew .the attention of the pr? ; *= to Rule 3t of the startling orders, which-gives councillors the right to sneak to the motion, and afterwards to speok to toy and every stibfinnent. amendment, .