CITY COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3652, 5 November 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

There was a pretty fall attendance (Councillor Prosser alone being absent) at the adjourned meeting la.t night, when the following buaiuesa was transacted The proposal to appoint a Revenue Officer and Town Pelt Hanger at a salary of L2OO a year was referred to a committee fer consideration. Ihe feeling of the Council appeared to be that the offices should be separate, and that the Revenue Officer should be under the cantrol of the Commit, sioner of Police. Messrs A. and T. Burt forwarded a letter in reference to the stone-crushers. They had seat a telegram couutermauding the orderly previously forwarded to Englaud ior the machines ; but if the. orders were executed they expect the Council to take delivery of them. Or. Flaw’s motion that the action taken at the last meeting, to call for . tenders, should be adhered to, was carried Or. Reeves protested, on the ground that unnecessary delay would be caused, as Rape’s machines, which were a better class than that proposed to be ordered from Home, could be gob in Victoria. Mr Ritchie as agent for Mr Hankey, wrote intimating that on the termination of the present gas contract, he would not, owing to the rise in the price of coal and labor, be able to renew it at existing rates. Cr. Walter moved—“ That a letter be written to Mr Hankey’s attorney to ascertain the proposed rate, and on what terms he would be prepared to enter into another three years’ contract with the Council.” The matter should be taken in hand at once, and

a special meeting be called to discuss the question immediately after the reply was received. Several Councillors expressed their determination to oppose any proposed increase in the price of gas to either the City or citisons; while Crs. Carroll, and Isaac advocated the erection of new works, and Cr, Crant deprecated hasty action. On Cr. Fish s motion Mr M. W. Hawkins was appointed City arbitrator in re the widening of Princes street; and it was resolved t-> advertise for a second clerk at a salary of • 300 a-year.

Cr, Walts u s motion that on \\ ednesdays and'Saturdayi the sp.ee around the Cargill monument siiouid be used for a pubic market until 9 30 a.m. w«uj carried, us f,lsu was Or. Isaacs motion for the preparation of plans for the erection of suitable steps to ascend Dowling street from Princes street.

On Or, Fish’s motion being called on, “That in the opinion of this Council, the use of the words * factious opposition’ as applied by the Mayor to a Councillor, at a meeting held on the 22nd of October, is disorderly, and is calculated to bring this Council into contempt,”

Or. W alter requested its withdrawal. The mayor asked Or, Pish whether he was going to put the motion. They had met together to conduct the business of the City, and not to discuss their private;differenees. lie directly asked Or. Pish whethePhe was going to press the resolution.

Cr. Fish replied that he intended to say, before moving the reso.ution, that if the Mayor would say that he was prepared to withdraw the woras used, he (Gr. Fish) would witharaw the motion. Persons in the heat of the moment frequently used wo;ds which they were sorry for in their cooler moments. If his Worship made an expression to the effect seated, he would have much pleasure in withdrawing the mo lion. He had always great respect for the chair, no matter who occupied it. The IVi ayor (to Ur. Fish); Wnat do yen wioia me to say ?

Ur. Fish : 1 «nly wish you to say that you regiet having utea the words re erred to. Ihe Mayor said that if Or. Fish expressed regret, he womd also he willing to do so. Though he wished to ooncilitate matters hj« had his own dignity to support, therefore if hr Fish was willing to withdraw his ex* previous he (the Mayor) would be willing to do the same. He again asked Cr. Fish whether he was prepared to apologise for having given him (the Mayor) causa for having used the words referred to.

Dr. Fish : iNot on those terms, your Worship.

ihe Mayor : Then I cannot help it. Cr. V-. alter said there was a general opinion abroad that there would be a row in the Council that night. tie trusted they would disappoint those expectations. Ho did not think that it would be beneath the dignity of the Mayor to withdraw any words used. Me would be sorry to hear any discussion on the matter. He therefore advised Or. Fish and the Mayor to reconsider the matter, and disappoint the ratepayers in this instance. The Mayor : If Cr. Fish expresses regret at having given me cause for using the words. Or. Fish ; I will not. The Mayor ; Then i will not allow the motion to be put. (His Worship read byelaw 21, p. 25, and quoted ‘ May.’) Cr. Fish : Mr Mayor, 1 am not prepared to accept your ruling. The Mayor : Or. Fish, before you go any further, I draw your particular attention to ihe 21st clause, p. 26. Cr Fish: Your Worship is nob asked to give a ruling. The idAToR : I must decline to put the motion, which I consider improper and disorderly. One of two courses may be adopted : either to expunge the notice from the order paper, or to declare that the motion is improper, aud I have given my ruling on the matter. Cr. Fish, you will, therefore, be good enough to sit down. Or. Fish : 1 shall not sit down. If you choose to provoke a scene The Mayor : I beg your pardon; I only “ 00 villi ugly would have avoided it. Cr Fish : I shall not agree to your ruling upon this matter—— 6 The Mayor : I call you t» order. Cr. Fish : I shall not sit down. The Mayor : 1 shall call upon you for a second time to sit down. Cr. Fish : I shall nob take my seat. The Mayor : I shall now read to you another clause J Cr. Isaac (very excitedly) : It is perfectly 1 wisll to B P eak ’ I Bay that Cr. Fish has done nothing, and that his ruline ia perfectly in order. 6 The Mat or : I have ruled that tho motion cannot be put. Cr. Fish : Mr Mayor, I shall proceed to move my resolution, and permit me to point out that the proper time for yon to rule is in my opinion, when the motion was attempted to be moved by myself. It is entirely premature for. you to have taken the action you have, which is very high handed action, and oue which the Council nor anything that has been done can possibly justify? The clause your Woiship has just read does not apply, because I have not used any offensive or disorderly language, and although the Mayor may choose in an imperative manner to call a member of this Council to order twice, it does not follow that that member used offensive or disorderly language. The Mayor : Excuse my interrupting you. 1 he reason that actuated me in bo ruling was that yon refused to sit down when twice requested to do so. Cr. Peeves pointed out that the Council had met for the business of the Citv. There was nothing good that could arise from that discussion, and he requested Cr. Pish to withdraw the motion for ihe sake of himself and the propriety that should rule at Council meetings. Cr. Isaac characterised the Mayor’s action as discourteous to the Council After some remarks by Cr. Grant . Cr - Fish submitted that the Mayor’s rulmg was indefensible. Whatever opinion might be formed as to the policy of putting the motion on the order paper, if the Mayor be ni°fr ru lf m he had - there would be no freedom of debate in the CouneiL Hia oliar to withdraw had been made in a conciliatory spirit. If allowed to go on he .would show the Council and the public that c was not the cause of the Mayer’s usiucr the words referred to. * The Mayor : 1 cannot allow this to go on. aud must appeal to the Council. 1 refer you ‘to clause 21, which says the Mayor’s decision shall be final. I cannot consent, as Mayor to argue the matter with Cr. Fish, aud must be protected. You can tak-i what other course you may think proper afterwards, but I cannot, as Mayor, allow the motion to be pub.

Cr. Carroll was not going to be a party to a scene, aud moved that the consideration, of the resolutions be adjourned for a week. Cr. Isaac opposed the motion. The Conn. Cll ? u PP ort themselves as well as the dignity of the chair. If the chairman insulted any of the Councillors he should reSSd. 1 Cr ’ Fish had been sroasl y iu '

Cr. Bbck remarked that the Mayor had shown a want of manliness in not allowing the motion to he put. • The Mayor said Or. Beck had used imProper words. He (the Mayor) was only eadeavonng to guide the Council. yea l ? ECK ll a P ol l °ftiß'?d for using the word niauhnew, at thepametimehe had a feeling

upon the point. He supported the adjournment. Hy next meeting the Mayor and Cr. Fish would have cooled down, and both should then hamUomely hand over L 5 to the Be;iev..i t nt invitation.— (f augt-.fer.) Or. t’lß on declined to take pa t in an unseemly tq dabble.

Cr. Vv alter said the Mayor’s ruling misht be in strict acco*dance with p rli mentiry practice, but he had set a very bud e<am>. e, when by riiflvent action the whole discussion m ght have hem avoided. The Mayors action on this occasion had bsen very 7 highhanded.

Cr. Grant thought the matter should go no further. Tho M iyor and Cr. Fih should meet each other half way. Th; Mayor : I have no objection to meet Or. i ish—that is, if Cr Fish says that he lost his tamper, I will say I lost mine. Cr. Walter: Say it both together, then. (Laughter.) The Mayor remarked that the motion was not put on the paper in the heat of the moment, and consequently he was perfectly right to stick to" the strict letter of the law. The words he (the Mayor) used should have been objected to at the time. Cr. Fjsh supported the motion for adjournment, because he would take steps to place the matter on the Order Paper in such a manner that the Mayor could not object to it.

Cr, I saac moved—“ That this Council thanks Cr. Fish for having taken a firm stand in defending the Councillors as to a proper ruling and dignity, and asks him to withdraw his resolution.”

Cr. Fish ; Mr Mayor, rather than prolong the discussion, I shall simply accept the suggestion made hy yourself, and withdraw the motion.

The Mayor : I have great pleasure in saying that i regret having used the words “factious opposition.”