The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1041, 26 October 1877, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1877.

The public meeting which, was held last night in the Oddfellows' Hall was neither large nor enthusiastic. The following were the resolutions which were carried. We print them together in order that our readers may be enabled to judge of their relative importance : "That in tho opinion of this meeting it is expedient that the Bill, entitled the Public Health Amendment Act should not be proceeded with until such time as the districts concerned have had time duly to consider the same."

" That this meeting protests against any additional rating powera for local purposes being given to anybody outside of the City Council for the city of Christchurch." " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the powers to be exercised under the Public Health Act should be vested in the Christchurch City Council within the city, leaving the remainder of the drainage district to be dealt with by the Drainage Board." "That it is desirable that copies of all Bills introduced int'> Parliament affecting municipalities should be furnished by the Government to such bodies as soon as printed." "That his Worship the Mayor be requested to forward the above resolutions to the Colonial Secretary and city members, with a request that effect may be given to the same during the present session."

As will be seen, the resolutions deal with two separate questions—first, that of granting rating power to the present Local Board of Health, and second, that of the propriety of re-constituting the Local Board of Health. As we have pointed out in former issues, these two questions should have been treated entirely apart, and on their own merits. It may be desirable that the powers exercised under the Public Health Act should be vested in the City Council within the city boundaries, leaving the remainder of the drainage district to be dealt with by the Drainage Board; but, as there is little probability of a Bill giving effect to this view becoming law this session, it is the height of folly to protest against additional rating, when the Local Board of Health is urgently in need of funds. As far as we can gather from the published reports, none of the speeches dealt with the all-important question —what is to be done during this year if the Bill now before the House is thrown out, and no successful steps taken to reconstitute the Local Board. This seemed to be the feeling of those who addressed themselves to the rating question :—Never mind the consequences, but do not impose an additional rate; let fever, diphtheria, and scarlatina stalk unchecked in the suburbs, for all that we care; we will not give the Board of Health power to exercise their functions, if we can help it. Fortunately for the credit of Christchurch the small attendance last night was :in indication of the amount of sympathy which exists here with such a dog-in-the-manger policy.

©. , Ci!. Ick. is reported in one of the morning papers to have said: "But they inust not take much notice of what they saw in tho papers. They (the meeting) might not know, but the members oi: the Council did, how the strings were pulled, and how the articles were inspired."' The above remarks sound like the utterances of an ignorant and angry man. Because the Christehurch newspaners have not seen tit to join in the selhsh cry, which Cr. Ick has attempted to raise against

the Local Board oi ! Health, they are branded as mere puppets in the hands of a person or persons not named. Cr. Ick's knowledge of the conduct of journalism is no doubt, in his own estimation, extensive, but we do not think the public of Christchurch will, merely because he implies it, come to the conclusion that the newspapers here are utterly corrupt and venal. The fact appears to be that Cr. J ck, like many other men of his calibre and information, is incapable of looking at any question except from his own petty stand-point, and is therefore unable to give those differing from him credit for sincerity and disinterestedness ; nay, more, he insinuates that they are open to influences, which if charged with himself, even he would indignantly repudiate.