A SCENE IN THE COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 4280, 14 November 1876, Page 3

A SCENE IN THE COUNCIL.

There was a full attendance—! he Mayor and all the Councillors being- present—at the adjourned meeting of the City Council this afternoon. TLe principal business was the consideration of Cr. Grant's motion—"That the resolution passed at the special meeting of Council, held on 18th October last, relative to incr aaing the office accommodation at the Council Chambers, Manse street, be rescinded, and ■ the Corporation offices be proceeded with, on the Octagon site forthwith." This was mat by an f.mendment moved by Cr. FisH,~"That a sum not exceeding L 1.500 be apenr in improving the office aceommoda tion of the present Corporation buildings," which provoked an exceedingly warm and, at times, personal discussion* After-the Mayor had spoken, Cr. Walter was desirous of speaking but was ruled out of order. On the amendment being put, there voted six for and six against it, and the Mayor gave his casting vote against it. Cr. Fish then moved as a further amendment, the addition, to the motion o? the following words: —" At a cost of not exceeding L4,PCO." While- Cr. Gibson was speaking, and referring to some observation that had fallen from Cr. Pish, -The Mayor remarked: Cr.- Gibson need not think I shall be influenced f.y anything Cr. Fish has to say.

Cr. Fish (very excitedly): This is really disgraceful. This is not the first nor the second time I I have been insulted ?.t this Council by the Mayor, j Your conduct is disgraceful as Mayor, and I have no hesitation in saying so. ' I will not sit hero any longer to be insulted.—(Or. Fish here retired.) Cr. Isaac (as* ho was about to retire frara the room): I shall also leave. I consider, Mr Mayor, your conduct is disgraceful, and for that reaßon I leave the table. Cr. Walter (who had left the room with the other Councillors and returned a, few minutes afterwards) objected to tho action of the Mayor in preventing him from speaking on the first amendment characterising it as very unbecoming. The Mayor : Cr.' Waltor, please resume your seat. You must confine yourself to tho present amendmenti and must not reflect anj thing I nave done as unbecoming. Cr. Walter : If the Mayor makes a remark; I am certainly entitled to re'ev to it. When I occupied your present position, Mr Mayor, I allowed you not o'.ly "to defend yourself in respect to what had taken place out of this Council, but against tlip wishes of the Council permitted you to bring forward what had appeared in print of statements I made at a public meetiug. The Mayor: I mu-st again ask you to resume your seat. t 4f Cr. Walter : If, a ai t yon exercised youvseV? as much in the interests of the ratepayers, as you are doing now in this matter of tho Town Hall, iii the matter of the Wharves and Quays The Ma yob: Besumo your seat Or. Walter. The majority of the Council cannot aud will Hot; I am sure, allow the chair to be treatr-d in the wny Crs Pish, Isaac, and Walter have n cut ed it, I will not. permit the chair to "be treated as Cr. Walter tins just done, and uubsa he retracts whit he has just said, I shall adjourn the Council for a quarter of an hour.

Cr. Fish : You have no power to adjourn. On the Mayor retiring to his room an irregular discussion ensued, Crs. Grain, Woodland, and Campbell were successively proposed as chairman, the Town Clerk having pointed t ufc that the Mi.'yor could not legally adjoura the meeting; and that it was competent *w appoint, a chairman, but those gentlemen declined to act. r. Cr. Fish then proposed that Cr. Isaac should take the chair, which that gentleman did, amid somo laughter, without, putting the quettion. A proposal to adjourn for a week was negatived by four after the Japs? of arfew.minutes/during which nobodv seemed inclined to do anything, and the aurtieiv-e appeared to be..enjoying tho proceeding iinCr. Isaac vacated the chair, saying : As y„u decline to go on with the business, and, like the Mayor, will atijourn the Council for a quarter -of an -hour.- v*. .•.■..•-w.viv ■ vrtviwwi.-. ..-.-. ■

"Wben tile Mayor rc-Gutertfl tlieChambor i\vr>- ■- i39J° P™ 3 ** l * at tbe table-r-Crfl. Brow*, 17ti«\i\' .;. , Warn, Caftpbcil, Graut; and Thomson, tf,e others jettiriuus; portly nrtertfatdg, when business was 'iresnniea.- Cr.-Pisli'stim'finament'was then put and S:--. (-negatived fey «Bv6n aga/ftisfcfonr/ CrWALf^RJnovc-1 : ;;'v ; ;; "..Xhafc JuoJuctaMMjd taken in resfrect: ogtailfagrAMri^w-TpTOi&tt -croffioi ac. oozunpoatmi la toe Octagon, njiul guob. titto as

the Corporation obtain by legislative enactment legal power whereby the Corporation Will avoid running the risk of doing an illegal action." This amendment was characterised by Cr. Gibson as a subterfuge, but on being ohallenged he withdrew the expres ion. Cr. Fish intimated that if nobody else did 80 he would move the Supreme Court for au injunction to restrain the Council from building a Town Hall on the Market Boserve Bite. This amendment was negatived by six nsainst five. Other amendments to limit the expenditure on the present offices to LIOO, " until satisfactory arrangements can be made for erecting proper buildings in the Octagon;" and to limit the expenditure on a Town Hall in the Octagon lo L 5.000, were also negatived. Ultimately the original motion, with the addition proposed by Cr. Mollison—that the expenditure should not exceed L 7.000 —was carried by seven-against five. Mr A. Crawshaw's tender for works in the Canongate, L 1,670, was accepted; and the Works Committee were empowered to accept the lowest tender for works in Prinees street (Metcalfe, L 1.489). There were seventeen candidates for the City Treasurership. Mr Jamieson was elected.