A LIVELY TURN.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 55, 6 March 1901, Page 2

A LIVELY TURN.

TALK OF SUPREME COURT ACTION

COUNCILLORS JOYCE AND JOHNSTON.

Matters took a lively turn at tho Borough Council last night. While a letter from Mr Hoare was under discussion, Cr Kennedy had to consult His Worship for a few seconds about an alteration in the time of the funeral to-day. Cr Joyce, not being aware of the reason for the consultation, raised the objection that Cr Kennedy was out of order. Cr Jones : Ho was speaking on private, not Council business. Tho Mayor: No one else was speaking at the time. Cr Joyce : I wanted to speak, and you disallowed me. Tho Mayor: No one was speaking at tho time. Cr Joyce: Excuse me, sir; you disallowed mo to speak ; yet others can converse with you. Thij Mayor explained that the letter had been read, and it was open for anyone to speak on it. Cr Joyce asked what was contained in the letter. Cr Johnston : Tho letter has already been read. If Cr Joyce keeps his ears open he will hear the same as the rest of us. Cr Joyce : Ears and eyes open! The Mayor : I will read the letter. Cr Johnston made remarks to the effect that it was evident Cr Joyce ought not to be at the meeting that evening. Cr Joyoe : Not what! Not what I Cr Johnston: I object to sit here if Cr Joyce is going to detain us in this way. Wo have all heard the letter read. If he did not hear it he ought to have done so. Cr Joyce said he had not been there to hear the letter read, and added : “ I want your Worship to ask Cr Johnston what he means by this remark.” Cr Johnston : I meant that you arc not listening to what is going on. Cr Joyce : That is not what you meant —you implied more. You as a J.P. have no right to make such assertions. The Mayor: You must address tho chair.

Cr Joyce: lam doing so. I want you to ask Cr Johnston to explain himself—to explain what he meant by that assertion. He has not done that.

Cr Johnston : Cr Joyce comes here and takes up half our tune in this way. We’re here to do business. The letter has already been read twice, and if Cr Joyce does not listen the same as ourselves, ho is not fit to he here

Cl' Joyce : Is not what ? That is not the explanation. I want you to reply to what I am asking. I \yill bring you before the Supreme Court for what you have been saying. J.P. and all as you arc, I will teach you a lesson The Mayor : Order ! Cr Joyce : I am asking the moaning of the assertion. 1 want to know what Cr Johnston has stated. The Mayor: He has given his explanation. I cannot force any other explanation. The explanation is a proper one, but if you are not satisfied you can do what you think proper afterwards. Cr Joyce; I was not here when the letter was read. Cr Johnston: You’were sitting there. Cr Joyce : You are telling a falsehood. Cr Johnston: The letter was read since you have been here. Cr Joyce : It was not. Cr Johnston : I leave it to any of the members. • The Mayor said that G'r Joyce was sitting in his chair when the letter was read. Cr Joyce: I was not. The Mayor : You wore sitting in that chair —the letter was read after the other ono, Cr Joyce: What letter? The Mayor: This in reference to the damage. ■> Cr J oyce : My dear sir, you were speaking privately to Cr Kennedy. It is not the letter—it is Cr Johnston lam speaking to. The Mayor: It is the letter I want you to address yourself to, Cr Joyce: Cr Johnston said Cr Johnston : Cr Joyce was not listening. The Mayor: Let us get on with the business. The proposition is that this claim (Mr Hoare's) be allowed by the Council as a Board of Health,

Cr Joyce: But we are not a Board of Health. * • The Mayor : We are “ the local authority.” Cr Joyce : That’s what you are—that is quite correct. The Mayor said he did not think they should begrudge a few shillings in a case of this land. Mr Hoare had been put to a great deal of inconvenience and considerable expense. The motion to recompense Mr Hoare was carried unanimously. Matters then went on smoothly, but when the question of appointing a committee to confer with the County Council in regard to the cemetery came up one facetious Councillor could not resist the opportunity of suggesting that the committee be Crs. Joyce and Johnston.