The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, September 21, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1099, 21 September 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, September 21, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The by-election held yesterday, to fill the vacancy on the Borough Council, resulted, as was anticipated, in the re-election of Cr Adams. While we cannot agree with the extraordinary method he adopted as a protest against some alleged grievance by resigning, we must congratulate him ou ttie success he achieved at the poll. The defeated candidate is also entitled to a meed of praise for the sacrifice he undoubtedly made in offering his services to the ratepayers, and we hope that his defeat will not deter him fiom again coming forward on some future

occasion. Under the circumstances he fared very well. A regrettable feature of the election was the apathy displayed by a majority of those who are entitled to vote, but who abstained from exercising this great privilege. Only five more persons voted at yesterday’s poll than at the previous by-election—the totals were 293 and 295. After the declaration of the poll last night, Cr Adams gave certain reasons which, he said, led up to his resignation. These are set out elsewhere. Briefly, he charges the Mayor with discourtesy, a section of the Council with bole and corner tactics, and ineptitude, disappointment at not having been asked to visit the Kevin gas works, because his views on the gas works question did not coincide with those of other councillors, and unconstitutional methods. We do not know how the Councillors will take this medicine, but a stirring-up will probably do no harm. We have time and again urged the Council, when setting up committees, to see that such committees consist of a minority of the Council, so that reports can receive wholesome discussion and ventilation. If this were done, some of the objections raised by Cr Adams would be removed. At each regular meeting, the Works, Finance, Gas, Hall, and Reserves Committees would bring down their reports, which would be read, discussed, amended and adopted. With such machinery in proper order, it would be impossible to bring forward charges such as Cr Adams now levels at the Council. However, in condemning the Council’s methods, Cr Adams cannot hold himself blameless. At the next meeting of the Council Cr Adams will be afforded the opportunity of going fully into all the circumstances which led up to his resignation, and possibly other members of the Council will review the charges made against them. The meeting, therefore, should be full of interest, and we hope as a result that a better understanding will be arrived at.