BREEZE AT A COUNCIL MEETING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2899, 11 October 1916, Page 6

BREEZE AT A COUNCIL MEETING

• 1 — OVER THE BELGIAN FUND. , The usually tranquil proceedings tha Karori Borough Council were turbed la«=t evening at the conclusion or the reading of tho minutes of last meeting. It had been reported that Counci! J lor R. Eaire had Baid that tho council' was collecting more money than was. really necessary for the Belgian Relief: Fund. As a matter of fact, Councillor Eaire had told a resident and ex-coun-cillor that they were collecting an amount over and above their quota. Hi® first alleged remarks were embodied in. the minutes, <tnd Councillor Eairo held: that they were not correct, and he moved that "that portion, of his remarks be erased from tho minutes. The motion: was put and lost on the casting; vote of the chairman. Councillor Faite .very! heatedly explained his position. . during the course of which ho crossed; swords with the Mayor (Mr. B. G. H-' Burn) and the Town Clerk He said that he had been asked the position of tlic Belgian Eund by a icsicjut anil er-coun.ciilor, who, the sneaker said, hod found that his voluntary contributions to various funds ■ve.ia heavy. The councillor had said that the council hud succeeded in collecting J'fi per month over and above its quota, thus making its contribution average about ,£ls per 1 month. "I Said," continued Councillor Eaire, "that if the council went on collecting at that rate it would have more than two-thirds over and above its quota for the twelve months, and I did not mako any reference to tho Karori Borough Council making a good thing out of tho Belgian Fund. He then moved that the following be_ added to.his remarks as stated in the minutes: "That my remarks to him (meaning the resident) were that the first month in which, the Belgian Eund was collected, £15 odd was the amount raised, and .£» was our quota." In seconding tho motion, Councillor i" P. Davies said that that was the trna position of affairs. Tho statement that the Karori Borough Council was ma&ing a good thing out of the fund was so stupid that it was not worth taking any notice of. t Councillor W. Skegg said that it was a ridiculous- thing for people to 6ay that the council was raising too much for the fund. They could not get too much! money. If the ratepayers and subscribers got the idea that too much money, was being collected, then tho receipts would go down rapidly, and the council would not even be ablo toggett t its .£9 quota. „In the speaker's opinion no blame .could -be attached .to...Councillor Faire. .He"had been, .misrepresented. (Hear, hear.) • - Councillor A. Hamilton explained the reasons for J!ls being collected instead of by saying that the collectors right- 1 ly took all that was offered. * The Mayor said that he was extremely sorry for the remarks which had been passed that evening round the council table, and personally he had no objection to Councillor Faire's motion beins placed in tho minutes. Incidentally the Mayor stated that many residents in the borough were not contributing to the fund at nil.

Councillor Faire: And ratepayers, too. The Mayor: Tes, some are ratepayers, and those who are contributing axe making up the quota and above it. Councillor _ Faire's motion was earned and placed in the minutes, which wero confirmed, and the matter then dropped.

General entries and acceptances for tho City Handicap, and forfeits for the Great Northern Guineas and Welcome Stakes, in the Auckland Racing Club spring meeting, will close at 9 p.m. on Friday next. t The 'Wellington Education Board announces the following pppointments:— Levin, assistant, Miss S. Beckett; Mangatnairo, sole teacher, Miss 0. Clifford; Makairo, sole teacher, Mr. J. Thompson.. '