Unhappy Civic Family.

Manawatu Herald, 11 February 1905, Page 2

Unhappy Civic Family.

A LIVELY MEETING.

The Greytown Borough Council ar« a very unhappy family. At last week's meeting, things were unusually lively, a fracas occurring between the Mayor (Mr A. C. Bicknell) and Cr Bennett, which fortunately terminated without injury. The Mayor threatened to leave the meeting if the Chair could not be treated with respect, and, W fact, was in the act of quitting the breezy precincts, when the remaining Councillors (by way of a joke evidently) elected a Cr Harrison to fill the Mayoral chair. The Wairarapa Standard says, “ This was too much for His Worship, who returned just in time to edge Cr Harrison on one side and save the dignity of the chair by again occupying it himself.” Later on Cr Bennett threw books at the Mayor, but ultimately 'the unruly Councillor left the business of the meeting for more congenial climes, The local constable was called in to restore order, and all ended quietly. Thus the local paper, referring to the incident: curred at last Monday night's Council meeting will, we feel sure, be regretted by every one who has the welfare of the town at heart. Such conduct by one ot our Councillors distinctly lowers the tone of our public life. That Cr Bennett has yet to gain control of his temper is manifestly apparent. Loss ot self-control and utter disregard for the respect which is due to the Mayor is highly reprehensible on the part of a Councillor. The Mayor was in no way responsible for Monday night’s scene—in fact, he has done his utmost at recent Council meetings to conciliate Cr Bennett, but his conciliatory efforts have had the same effect upon Cr Bennett as the proverbial red rag has to the bull. Outside the Council meetings Cr Bennett is a different individual and has devoted a large amount of his time in the interests of the borough, and the Council records give evidence of much good work initiated by him. But all this does not justify his erratic conduct at the Council meetings. In fact, it is an open secret that he has again and again promised the Mayor a lively time-such as never before has been enacted in the Council —and truly it has come to pass. There must be some motive for the line of conduct adopted by Cr Bennett, which remains to be explained. If he cherishes a grudge against the Mayor, he should fight it out as man to man, and not use the Council meetings, as a medium of discharging his pent-up feelings against His Worship, and so bring the town into ridicule.”