MUNICIPAL AMENITIES.

Evening Star, Issue 3643, 26 October 1874, Page 3

MUNICIPAL AMENITIES.

The scenes that occasionally relieve the monotony of the proceedings of our City Council are mildness itself compared with those occurring periodically among the body which administers the civic affairs of the Empire City. At the meeting of that body on October 21. the Town Clerk reported that be had applied to the Inspector of Nuisances to furnish a return of his receipts in fees, &c., but that officer flatly refused to do so, and he consequently refused to pay him his salary until he did. The Mayor, however, ordered that the salary should be paid, and it was done accordingly, but up to date the Inspector had furnished no return, only saying he had paid the fees into the bank What afterward-, transpired is thus told by the * Times ’ and ‘ Post ’;— The Mayor, who seemed to have some difficulty in comprehending what was before the meeting, suddenly exclaimed : “ Well iQuesWn “"-What is the quesh’n?”—(Laughter.) To the Clerk; “Put the mo’slmn -put the mo’shun.”other unintelligible and incoherent squabb i „-? we( k and ac length Councillors Moss ana Mill* seized their hats and departed abruptly, declaring they could not afford to waste any more time, as there was no prospect of any business being gone through. I'hc Clerk : There is no motion, your Wori Councillor Greenfield wishes the Inspector of Nuisances to -c asked for an explanation, an **> believ«. for you to put the question. Ihe Mayor : Oh ! is that it. I didn’t know what was wanted, I m sure. Certainly'' (rising). As long as I hold the— tbe-position of Mayor and any question C asked, and information re-quired-order or no order—l say in—in—order or out of order—l’ll have it answered to the beat of my ability. What is the point ? (To the Clerk). Read the motion, please. The Clerk : There is no motion. It is a question to he pot. The Mayor: Uhl all right. We’ll put the quesh’n. Cerh.inly. I Councillor Garrett remarked that the Inspector ought to do his duty, and so, inched* ought

the Mayor, but he was sorry to say his Worship did not, and he deeply regretted he should have been one to plaue him in that chair. The Mayor (laughing heartily).—Hear, hear, hear! xv hat an ignorant man you must be. A.t this point the meeting separated “in most admired disorder.” And at a subsequent meeting— Councillor George asked to bring a matter before the Council which, he considered, affected the privileges of members of the Board, and he would apply for the ruling of the Mayor in this instance. After the last meeting of the Council he had occasion to inquire of Mr Pilraer, the Inspector of Nuisances, certain information, when the officer turned upon him and called him a d d liar, and said he did not care a d n for any Councillor outside the Council Chamber. His Worship said, as a matter of law, the Inspector could not be called to account by the Council for anything that took place outside the office. Councillors had their remedy iu a court of justice. Councillor Dransfield thought the Mayor’s ruling outrageous and absurd-he never heard of such a thing. It was the duty of the Council to protect its members from any insult at the hands of its servants. Councillor Mills was of opinion that such an insult as that complained of should be met with severe censure. Councillor Greenfield said that if the Council acted in accordance with tire Mayor’s ideas, he for one would resign. Councillor M'Kirdy had once previously been insulted by the officer referred to, and such behaviour should be dealt with in a manner to prevent its happening again. Councillor Burrett would follow Councillor Greenfield’s example if the Mayors ruling was earned out. Councillor Dransfield thought the officer should be discharged at once, if the insult could be fully proved, Cr. Dransfield said he never intended to argue again with the Mayor, but on a subject like this ho could not help it His Worship : Do you want the law on this matter ? Cr. Dransfield: No—we don’t want your law. His Worship: Very well then—be like a bull at a gate. Cr. Greenfield wished to know of the Mayor whether an officer of the Board could insult a member who was asking for information relating to Corporation matters ? His Worship : No, certainly not, turn him out 1 But if an officer meets a member at a public hj use

Cr. Dransfield: You’re making a base insinuation, Mr Mayor, His Worship : No, I’m not. Cr. George thought his position as a member should have commanded more respect from a servant of the Council. However, he would withdraw the question of ruling to permit of the business being proceeded with. The ‘ Post,’ referring to the meeting, says : The City Council of \Vellington is now a laughing stock throughout the Colonies. Last night’s meeting was more than usually discreditable however, the fault almost entirely resting with the Mayor, who, to put it mildly, was not iu a fit state to preddo over a deliberative assembly. After last night's exhibition, his Worship would best consult the interests of all parties by resigning an office which he c -rtaiuiy can no longer fill wit hj credit or ad van ,ago to the City. It would not indeed be an irremediable loss if all the Councillors were also to resign. They are certainly steady, respect able men individually, hut‘collectively the City b- 8 Jl °t> and cannot have, any confidence in them, after the statements ma-lely, themselves. Councillor offer councillor rse and that the Council as a body had really no control over its officers, that their servants were their masters and did what they liked, the Mayor going so far as to rub bat it was quite a proper thing for a servant >f the Council to call one of its members “ a d-d Hard’ fn fact, the affairs of the Corpot’ou seem to be iu a most thoroughly disorganised slate, and to require a strong Hand to restore them to order.