SECOND EDITION. CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2223, 22 June 1870, Page 2

SECOND EDITION. CITY COUNCIL.

At this afternoon sitting, Mr Fish, presided in tho absence of the Maj'or, and there, were present Councillors Carroll, Jack, Wil* son, Thoncman, and Griffon. Amongst the. corresponded i’ead was a letter from the,- ■ Mayor: “June 21. “On thee vo of my departure from Weiliugton, I consider it due to my fellow citizens, to you, gentlemen, and to myself, ; te remove all doubts with respect to my cobv ing forward again to contest the mayoral chair. Had no councillor come forward, I would have considered it my duty to contest another re-election, and oppose apygfntle ; . man oujisidP the Connell, as L am nrmly cf the opinion that those gentlemen who have battled to construct our streets and footpaths during their councillorship belong the honor of occupying the civic chair. It is not for me to descant on the necessity of the citizens electing from among the city councillors one who must devote time and patience to the duties of the office, and who must devote * particular attention to the duties of the Mayor’s Court. I trust, gentkahen, ’ throwing out thi« bint

presumption. In conclusion, I beg to assure my successor that on all occasions when my services are required, I shall be most happy to assist in carrying on the work of our municipal institutions. Wishing you, gentlemen, all prosperity and success in the management of the City, and bidding you for the present farewell. “ I am, &c,, “Thos. Birch.” A letter from Mr A. K. Smith, containing 14 pages of closely written matter, the burden of it being to refute the statements of of Councillor Fish in moving the adoption of the Gas Committee’s report, was read. Several reports were adopted. The following letter was read from the proprietor of the Evening Stqr on the subject of Corporation advertising “ To His Worship the Mayor,— Sir,— lt is with much regret that I feel it necessary to call your attention to the mode of business adopted by the Town Clerk, but. as that gentleman has left mo no alternative, I must of necessity do so. I need not remind your Worship that by a resolution of the Council, and in the interests of the JCity, it was decided twelvemonths ago that Corporation advertisements should be inserted m the Evening Star as well as the Daily Tinves.. At that time the circulation of the two papers was about, equal in the city, and as advertising mediunis their claims might be considered equal. Since then the circulation of the Evening Star has increased nearly threefold, and being ! by all classes I need not say more than that if preference is due, on every ground of economy and publicity the Evening Star hud the soundest claim. But instead of the resolution of the City Council being earned out, the Town Clerk assumes to override decision, and to withhold advertisement's from the bn the hiost trivial and occasionally arbitrary grounds. Sometimes, we are informed, that" he .is acting under direct orders from Councillors not to give advertisement's to'the Star, and at othertimes he assumes the right to withhold them as a means of coercing the proprietor into accepting a lower scale, of advertising than the scale price of the paper—in oilier words, than that charged to and paid by the public. An instance of the latter kind has rendered it necessary that a stop should be put to this attempt at extortion, in order to which the full circumstances must he stated. A sale of gity property was advertised a short time .ago both 'in. the Daily Times and the Evening Star. For the number of insertions the scale price was charged and no more,, and, the account amounted to Ll3 1/s 6d. 6n application for payment, it was refused, unless' eight pounds was accepted in settlement of the account. As a matter of course this offer was declined. On Friday certain advertisements appeared in the Daily Times, and one of the staff of the Evening Star called to ask leave to insert them. I peed not say they are of great and general importance to all classes, but the Toiyn Clerk refused to sanction their insertion in the Evening Star, unless eight pounds was accepted as a settlement of the account. As the request was refused to my manager, I . myself called, and the answer was given me that the <S7«r should have no moreadyertisements until the account was Sfy reply was that I would not accept such a ground of refusal,—that if there was an error n the account it must he settled 'h its merits, but that I would not submit to such a tyrannical mode of cutting down accounts'by a public servant. As Mr Massey Seared to consider he had done his duty, expressed a wish that I should bring the matter before his superiors—however I may regret his decision, for his own sake—l have no help for it unless I choose tamely to submit to any terms that gentleman may attempt to impose upon me. Knowing it impossible that such a course of proceeding as I haye described can have yqur sanction.*’ The reply of tfm Town Clerk was also read. The matter was .referred to a committee of the whole Council for enquiry. Councillor Carroll’s motion, for the sale of L 5.000 worth of debentures to carry on drainage works in BpU, Ward, .was negatived by 3 to 2. : "■