The Globe. TUESDAY, MAY 20, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1637, 20 May 1879, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, MAY 20, 1879.

If tlio audience who weekly assemble at the City Council Chamber wore disappointed. last week in the bill of faro provided for their delectation, they were amply recompensed last evening. It is true that the management kept the most screaming of their farces until the latter end of the performance, still, what with the debut of a now star performer in the shape of his Worship the Mayor, and the reappearance of such an old favorite as Cr. Cass, it could not but conclude the performance with eclat. A perusal of the notice of the manner in which the farce was played, and the admirable way in which the principal parts were sustained, will at once convince the ratepayers that the comedians now occupying the boards at the City Council Chamber are no mean proficients in their profession. The plot of the farce was much as follows: —Many of the Councillors are gifted with an artesian flow of eloquence, that the greatest drought of material will not affect. Their words, like Tennyson’s brook, flow on for ever —and on the slightest provocation. Rising for the purpose of moving the most unimportant notices of motion, they take up time enough to effect a constitutional revolution. The Mayor then took it into his head to jot down the number of times they rose, and the length of time taken up by each utterance. Ho constituted himself a species of oratorical pedometer, measuring off to a nicety the quantity of material that issued from the golden-mouthed Councillors. Doubtless he would have liked to have taken some stock of the quality, but this was beyond oven the power of Mayoral brain and stop-watch. But at least what he could do, was done. But many of the Councillors objected to the Mayor’s proceedings, and Councillor Cass, with the fiery good sense which is his characteristic, took last night the character of “ chief malcontent” or “ first conspirator,” in the screaming burlesque that was put on the boards. His language was, as became the truculent character ho had assumed, not of a respectful nature. Ho accused the Mayor of endeavouring to “ get a little beggarly eclat in the newspapers,” and of other crimes and misdemeanours which rendered him unfit to hold his office. Ho (the Mayor) was rendering the Council the laughing stock, not only of Christchurch, but of the whole of Now Zealand, and his proceedings wore not to bo borne by the orators he was seeking to control. Neither was the Mayor wanting in his part. Like FitzJamos, ho scorned to flinch. Placing his back against the Mayoral chair, ho announced his intention to do or die. With one hand on his stop-watch and the olhor grasping the fuse with which ho was prepared to set fire to the train connected with the barrels of gunpowder which, no doubt, are stored in the vaults of the Council Chamber, ready for the last emergency, lie defied the mutineers, and finally the curtain dropped on as pretty a little scone of low melodrama as the most inveterate Surroy-sido playgoer could wish. Now

looking at this affair seriously, wbat is all this storm in a teapot about, and who is to hlamo in tho affair ? Both sides are to hlamo. Councillor Cass is perfectly right in saying that tho talcing of time by the Mayor is not a dignified proceeding, and it must bring ridicule on tho body whoro tho idea is put into practice. Blit on tho other hand, could such a thing bo done in a Chamber whoro tho Councillors wore as a body worthy of tho position they hold. It is Mr. Cass himself, and those who act as ho does, who bring tho Council into ridicule. Tho remedy attempted by the Mayor is an absurd one, but tbo disease is still more ridiculous. Hero are a number of grown-up mou, oloetod by their fellow-citizens to positions of trust, and among (ho body are to ho found individuals who have so little sonso of tho dignity duo to themselves and their office that, in despair rtf controlling them in any other way, tho person elected to preside over thorn has been tempted to try an experiment which has hitherto probably only boon practised at the sittings of some debating society of a third-rate school. It is absolutely sickening that the citizens of Christchurch should bo forced to stand by and see tho good name of their city played ducks and drakes with. There probably are elements of order and good sense existing in tho Council, but it would bo well if they wore to assert themselves more frequently. A more deplorable fiasco that tho scouo of last night it is impossible to conceive. —♦ W E are pleased to notice that the City Council are, at last, about to undertake a work, tho necessity for which lias boon Urged upon them for a long time past. Wo refer to tho fencing in of those parts of the river which abut so closely on to tho public road that danger to tho public is tho result. It is much to ho regretted that loss of life has resulted from inadequate fencing, but it is too lato now to griovo over this. Tho plain duty of tho Council is to take such steps as will pro ■ vont tho possibility of another accident of a similar nature occurring. In these dark and foggy nights it is quite possible for an old resident, and how much more for a stranger, to miss his way. Should ho do so in the neighborhood of many parts of tho river, ho may easily fall in, and if no swimmer bo drowned, for tho banks are, in places, very stoop and tho current is swift. Now that it has boon clodded to do this most necessary work, wo trust that no delay will bo allowed to interfere with its completion, and that tho most exposed portions, at least, will bo fenced in at once.