Kawhia County Council.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 396, 22 January 1909, Page 2

Kawhia County Council.

SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the above body was held iir the Council Chambers on Wednesday last, when there were prtfe >t - Crg W. J. Shaw, A. W. B»bbug?, G. G. Jonathan, J. Kearns, •Jas. Noo ian and R. D ivies. THE CH.. IBMAN. The Clerk took tbe chair, and asked that the Chairman be elected. Cr Babbage proposed Cr Shaw, remarking that be had filled tbe p >sition ably in the post, and that be would do so in tho future. Cr Kearns seconded the motion.

Cr Noonan : Aa there is one councillor away I ibiuk we should leave tbe mittar over.

Ur Babbagu : We can’t do that. Cr D ivies : Could we not appoint a chairman temp rarily ? Cr Babbage did not know of any provision of the set under which that could be done.

Crs Noonan aud Davies thought that lhe full council bolog present would make the position more o*mfortable.

Cr Kearns : Tnerc may be some other councillor abient from tbe next meeting. Cr Sbaw said ihat the act stated in the event of a new election a meeting must bo held to appoint a chairman, and that day’s meeting had been called for that purpose. Since the election the Council bad been without a bead. The Council would be doing wrong in not appointing a chairman, aud it would again mean that there was no one in control.

Or Noonan : That explanation has enlightened me. Cr Jonathan thought it would be well to nave a full meeting, especially when th® absent member (Cr Elliott) had not tbs chance cf knowing when tbe meeting took place. The notice had been sjnt, but Cr Elliott was away from home. If he knew of tbe meeting and did not attend the position would be different.

Cr Kearns: Tbe same thing may occur again.

Cr Jonaibin said that every member Liked to be present at the first meeting, and if Cr Elliott had known the date he might have left his own business in order to attend. He favoured Cr Noauan’s proposal and felt it would trend to the batter wo'king cf the Council. Cr Noonan would like a full meeting so as all conld have a say in the matter. It was not a personal matter with him. Cr Babbage could see no necessity for adjourning tbe election. Cr Jonathan : Would the daisy effect anything ? Cr Shaw : There would be the expenses. Cr Jonathan : Would there not be more business ? Or Shaw : No. Why should there be? Cr Noonan did not favour another meeting. He intended later ia the day to see if the meetings could not be held at longer intervals so as to save expense.

Cr Babbage : I’m with you. Or Noonan : If when we came here the meetings took two days it would save money to both the ratepayers and the councillors.

Cr Noonan then moved and Cr Davies seconded, “ That the election of chairman be held over.”

Cr Shaw asked the chairman if each could be done.

The Chairman said that the act said that the chairman should be appointed as soon as possible.

Cr Babbage: The Council is being made a laughing stock of. Cr Noonan said the act must be kept to, and if it said that a chairman must be elected that would have to be done.

Cr Babbage: It is laid down that a chairman must be appointed. We meet here to do that and if we don’t we must be a laughing stock. The Chairman moved that th 3 motion was not in order, and there being no other nominations Cr bhaw was declared elected.

On taking tbe chair, Cr Bhaw thanked bis colleagues for the honour conferred upon him. He was sorry that the discussion as to postponing the election had come up; be could draw his own conclusions there from, which may be right or wrong. He had spoken on the subject because he thought be would be lacking in his duty had be uot done so. The spirit of tbe act was to appoint tbe cbairmau as soon as possible, and if such bad not been done would have neglected their duty, and altogether made a laughing stock cf themselve?. He was not ambitious to be chairman, but while he occupied the position he would always do his best for the county as a whole, and would always be pleased to assist aoy councillor. The last period during which he was chair man bad been a very happy one, and he trusted the members would agree equally as well. He would ever eadsavuur to administer the affairs of ho Council in a (air aud equitable manner, and trusted be would get tb support of bis c dieagues.