The Globe. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1876.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 698, 14 September 1876, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1876.

Tiie result of the meeting last evening must, we think, convince the most sceptical that such gatherings are utterly futile. That it was called by requisition, numerously signed, does not in any way alter the fact. We all know bow easily signatures are obtained to such documents. The prospect of a couple of hours' amusement, listening to a string of inane questions propounded by would-be politicians, is too enticing to be resisted. It is a well-known fact that the meeting of last evening was mainly, if not entirely, due to the love of fun, so prominent in one of our citizens. As we observed in a former article, no good end is served by meetings of this kind. We, challenge any one to point out one single item of public interest elicited by it. The speeches, as a rule, were mere statements of wants existing, which we all know too well. There was no idea given of the way in which the large powers of the Council in the future would be exercised. All that we heard was the old formula, elect me, &c ; in fact, it was " Codlin's your man, not Short." The questions for the most part were simply personalities, thinly disguised, and we were glad to see one of the candidates at least have the courage to refuse to answer stupid and utterly irrelevant questions. Let any one carefully go over the report of the proceedings of last night, and will it be found that the ratepayers know one iofcs more of the opinions

of the candidates than they did before? ' "We say, unhesitatingly, No. The money of the ratepayers is expended, time after time, to afford an opportunity to a few to cross-question those who are candidates, and thus provide amusement for the remainder. If the City Council is going to compete with Mr. Hoskins and Mr. Shepperson in the way of providing amusement for the people, let us have a building subsidised regularly, as in the days of old Some. This will be far better than veiling it under the disguise of a public meeting. We should then have announcements something like the following:—" Five candidates to be " badgered this evoning! Come early " and see the fun. No charge for " admission." There is really now very little difference between this ideal sketch and what actually takes place. A certain number —by far the greater portion —of those who attend these meetings do so with the express intention of having what they are pleased to term " a lark. " Therefore it is we advocate the doing away with what has become not only an absurdity, but a positive nuisance. As was pointed out last night the requisition required a meeting to be called to discuss matters of public interest, but what these were no one seemed to know. The promoters were absent, and generally it seemed that there was not the faintest idea in any one's mind as to what question of interest they had met to discuss. It is high time that this worse than farce was put an end to. If gentlemen desire to have an evening's amusement by getting candidates before a meeting as a target for the wit of the crowd, by all means let them have it. But we object to the general body of the ratepayers paying the expense. Let these clever gentlemen who have the fun put their hands in their pockets and contribute the necessary amount. This would be perfectly right, and the city would then be spared the indignity of its Mayor presiding at meetings ostensibly of a public character, but really projected to gratify a love of mischief.