THE MAYOR'S POSITION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1681, 22 February 1913, Page 6

THE MAYOR'S POSITION.

PERMANENCE "OF POLICY. . Asked for an explanation yesterday, tho Mayor said that Standing Order No. 9 dealt with tho revocation, of a resolution. It set out that a resolution might bo revoked or altered providing seven clear days' notice in writing wero given to each member of tho council of the intention so to move. ''Mr.' Frost had not given, that notice," said tho Mayor, "and oven if the committee's report was taken..as such notico to revoke or alter, jit had not been sent out seven days before the meeting. It was only seat out on Tuesday, last. Tho words 'seven clear days beforo tho meeting' clearly indicate or,'- refer to a motion to,rescind. Ho (Councillor Frost) brought lt.down as a'clauso in a report, and not as a motion, to tevoko or alter. At tho time of tlio discussion-1 pointed out in ;tlio Standing; Orders of tlio London County Council that thero was a special provision to meet the matter- of rescinding resolutions with proper safeguards. That standing order provided that no motion rescinding any resolution shall lx> in order unless notico bo given and specified ill tlio sumnjens, and tho notico shall, in addition t6 the name of the member who proposes tho motion, have the names of twenty other members. That is to prevent any vaccillation in, regard to matters of policy. It also provides that the order shall not apply to motions moved by tlio chairman or other member of tho committee in pursuanoo of a report of tho committee. I pointed out that provision with respect to a motion moved, by a chairman of committee was not'provided for in our standing orders, and therefore I could only tulo- according to our own standing orders, although I would personalty like'to .seo :thom improved." In further explanation, Mr, M'Larop stated that .every.decision of the council must bo tho subject of a . resolution, and is so referred-to .ih i all standing orders. The essential point is that according to standing order; No. 9,1 could > not 1 allow the motion to rovoKo or alter any provious decision' of tho'council without aiie'notice, and eyen if the clause in the report wero taken to .bo a ; notico.' of mbtioh to amend a'previous decision', yet the standing order ,was not complied' With, iii that seven' clear days' notice in writing had-not been given, the report having'only'been sent out on Tuesday last. . » ' . ~■' ■ ' 110 had instructed'tlio City Solicitor to draft new. standing, ordors on tlio lines of the London County Council, •on • tlio grounds that they;.would safeguard tho matter-of permanency of policy, which was. of,very great .importance,'iand at the samo timo allow free action fo.oommittecs in respect to amending reports under .tho safeguards provided. "It,is a funny thing," said Mr. M'Laren, "that at the previous meeting of tho oouncil, when Councillor Smith occupied tho chair in liis (the Mayor's) absence at a Methodist Conference function, tho same clause was submitted, and, Councillor, Smith ruled it out of order, and lids' ruling was acoepted. They; wcro protesting a little when I returned to tho council, but on the point being referred to mo, I said that Councillor Smith was, quito right."

COUNCILLOR FROST OUTSPOKEN. WHAT HAPPENED IN COMMITTEE. Councillor Frost Was particularly ojitBpolien dn his' opinion', of tho Mayor's action. Ho had been' advised by the City Solicitor that tho proper way to po about tho business wa9 to amend and not rescind the previous resolution, aiid in order to safeguard himself from boiiiß ruled outiof order on technical. grounds, ho had asked tho Ma-vor to draft the recommendation in' the form he would like to' take it/ so .that there would fje no misunderstanding when the adoption, pf tho roport was proposed at tho council The Mayor was thero at tho meeting of the Reserves Committee, and actually, dictated tho"recommcndation.to Councillor Frost (chairman of the committee) in' precisely. tho terms in which it had appeared on tho'. order paper/ and, of. course, was adopted by the committee. It was quito ridiculous for tho Mayor to _eay that ho only drafted the recommendation ' as to its literary form, Jinthat ho had notliinr'to do with the policy it involved. ITo had liocl as much experience in municipal matters as Mr. M'Larcn, and' did not want him as n. literary guide.' Ifis action in asking tho Mayor to draft tho recomniendation was to ensure that he would not object to it on technical grounds when it woilt before the council.. .It was, he considered, a deliberate attempt to shelve tho matter, as it was quite obvious that if it had been nlaccd on tho list; of .notices of motion to be concideml, 1 it would '• never have been reachcd. Councillors;; had tho Mayor to oall a special meeting, to consider the notices.of;motion .held , over from'thoprevious meeting/but ho had not dotio so, and it wan high'time that Wfl•lin*+on showed its. disgust' at the tactics adontedi bv tho Ma j or, whom it appeared could ■ block ajiy ; business. ho liked by ruling it out of order. .