The Globe. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1602, 8 April 1879, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1879.

It seems that the Christchurch City Council are determined to make themselves look as ridiculous as possible in tho oyes of tho colony. Not content with dragging tho name of Canterbury in tho dirt by begging for tho loaves and fishes they conceive will fall to their share by having a session of Parliament hero, they still further degrade us by their conduct in regard to tho Kaitangata Relief Fete Fund. It is difficult to discover upon what grounds tho City Council interfere with a fund raised for a specific object, and by an organisation which, though they as citizens formed part of it, was totally distinct from the City Council. That fund had a secretary and treasurer, and it was only as a matter of courtesy and at his own request that the mayor was made tho vehicle of trausmission to Dunedin. Tho City Council, as such, has no more right to dictate as to whether this amount shall bo paid over or not, than any private citizen. They had nothing, in their official capacity, to do with tho matter, and, it scorns to us a monstrous pioco of assumption on their part to ask for information from the Dunedin Central Committee, concerning tho judicious distribution of tho funds, before paying over tho amount subscribed. Had they acted thus with regard to tho money collected by tho Mayor on his official list —though perhaps tho good tasto of tho Council might have been questioned—perchance people would have boon bound not to object. But hero they have interfered with a fund placed in tho hands of tho Mayor as a matter of courtesy for transmission to Dunedin—a fund which they have not the slightest right or title to interfere with in any way.

Not only have llio Cily Council of Christcinu’di offered a gratuitous and uucallod-

for insult, to tho Central Committee of of Otago, but they have ‘"ado such an exhibition of themselves as will cause them td he the laughing-stock of the colony. Tho public, who have subscribed handsomely to this fund, have a right to demand from those who wore in tho positions of officials connected with it, that their contributions shall reach their destination unfettered by any condition whatever. The City Council, as wo her'' said, have not a shadow of a right to touch or Control one penny of this money, and it will he for the treasurer of tho fund to demand that the money shall bo handed over to the central committee without lot or hindrance. Tho matter is made worse when wo find that tho sapient resolution to interfere with, this money is carried by the casting vole of tho Mayor. No one knows hotter than that gentleman that this money was only handed over to him for transmission as a matter of courtesy and at his own desire. Ho was not made the vehicle of transmission, because tho City Council, as a body, was recognised as having any special control in tho matter ; they wore private citizens, and that was all. Councillor Clifford hit the right nail cn the head when ho asked what the Council had to do with tho Kaitangata Fete Fund at all; but this common-sense question found no answer. So far as wo can see there is but one course to pursue, and that is for the sub-committee, who wore appointed, to wind up the matters connected with tho Fete, to demand from tho Mayor tho amount realised, and transmit it themselves to the Central Committee. As to tho resolution passed by the City Council, tho sooner it is consigned to oblivion tho bettor. It only adds another row of hells to the cap which that body now wears with such grace.