The Borough Pound

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 12 August 1886, Page 3

The Borough Pound

TO THE EDITOR OF THK STAR. Sir, — As you have honored the Council's action on the above subject with, a leader, and have brought uiy name into prominence in connection therewith 1 , perhaps you will kindly allow meto reply. Let me say in beginning that,'as a Councillor," I shall always be thankful for a suggestion, er correction, from any quarter — even from tho Press — by which I am enabled the more efficiently to do my duty to the ratepayers generally- , . . . 1. Thevreaspn the adoption of the Committee's report was not moved by myself was that it was not legally arrived at, which ought toWa good one. Tin's conclusion was arrived at through. having to steer between the Impounding Ait and the Berough Bye-laws? 2. According to you, sir, my "clear duty " was to vote against the amendment. I should like to know how you arrived at such a "conclusion as to my " clear duty?" Granted that the usual custom is fdr'the Chairman to vote ao as *to leave the matter as it was, surely there are exceptions, ■when he : is allowed 1 .the use of his judgment as to his duty. If not, his voting at all is only a f arce. Again, the argument embwdid in the motion "I should vote for" was pronounced at a previous meeting of the Council as unsatisfactory. Then, there was no assurance that the question would "be referred back to the Committee," and if it was, the Committee were not authorised to decide the question as to how much rent was to be charged for the pound. In conclusion, Sir, let us hope that when you honor the Council;^ with such notice again, you may hare something substantial to write aßout, and not be compelled to go hair-splitting. — I am &c., J. C. Thompson. [Councillor Thompson's letter avoids the point at issue. He ignores the fact that he handed in a report to the Council; which he supported by his signature 'as Chairman of the Committee which drew it up, and then as a Councillor and Chairman voted against its adoption. If the document was ** illegal," why present it at all ? —Ed. F.S i ]_