MUNICIPAL EXCITEMENT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 258, 13 February 1874, Page 3

MUNICIPAL EXCITEMENT.

SETTLEMENT OP TOWN HALX, QUESTION DUNEDIN. Cr. Walter was ol opinion that the matter had been forced- on with indecent haste, and at an improper time. Not one member of the Council knew that the motion was coming' 011 that night. If the motion was carried, and steps taken to ex- . pend the ratepayers' money, "he would take steps to have plebiscite of the ratepayers Jle movedthat the Council adjourn tor a fortnight, which 'was negatived From this point the proceedings were very irregul-r Shortly before eleven, Cr. Walter got on his feet with the avowed object : of talking against time. Though subjected to innumerable interruptions by reason of points of order being raised and his .statements questioned, he kept possession ol the chair until midnight, when half—an-hours's adjournment for refresh - n:ent_ was panted On lesuming, Ci. Walter again hold-forth, this time fortified •with the autobiography of .T. S; Mill which he 'threatened to read. ' " When he required a rest Cr Kamsav would rise and move an adjournment, which of course, would be nega'iived, but the dncussi.on o;i and settlement of points of order gave breathing time to Cr. Waller, who at once wenf or. to speak with lenewed vigor. Thus it went on until Cr. Prosser succeeded in persuading the Mayor that the standing i orders stipulated 1 hat .not more I ban two ■■! amendments could be moved by one per- 1 aon This inling practically shut u|> (. 1 Kumsay, but his ally Cr Barnes stopped

J into tin- 1 brenrh nnd expresser! Ins deterrn -icitii.il in s|kmlc for a mind two h'ours. i lu'it'iiiion another adjournment was asked tor— (Jr. .Ramsay i nought ten and a half hours' rest would lead councillors to approach the matter in' a calmer and more conciliatory spirit— : J'he .Mayor tendered bis advice, which, was rejected hythe- majority, wiio carried an adjournment, for an liour for more refreshments. At three ■ •'clock business was resumed' and Or. Barnes commencea to speak Jle made an onslaught on Or. Reeves for ' tamper-, ing'" with the motion before the Council,"* by inserting, without the Council's permission, words in it during the, adjourn-ment.-—G:\ Ramsay, followed in a similar stiain, and moved that that Councillor should be "ensured, hut found no seconder Or. Reeve? having explained that he had merely ; written in. pencil a couple of words the insertion of which he intended to nmve on the first opportunity. He then moved the insertion of the words "or aho-it" after " the fmntage to commence." This having been agreed to Or. Prosser moved that the words " and al?o to prepare all information that may be required by architects in drawing their plans for competitive designs " be struck out, which was Hone, and the resolution in its amended form was adopted by sto 3 Finally, Or. Prosser moved, '■ That the Octagon be the only site for the Town Hall," for which there voted Councillors Prosser, 1 Hurt, Woodland, Beck, and Reeves ; and ! against it Councillors Walter, Ramsay, and Barnes. At 4 30 in the morning the < Council adjourned for a fortnight - Two citizens, Mr Falconer, the acting Town Clerk, and four or five reporters were the" sole listeners to the edyfying (?) proceedings Shortly after the Council re-assem-bled the second time, some" individual -of an exploring turn of mind found his" way' to the meter and turned off the gas When light was restored, one Councillor ventured to hint that one of the reporters had played the trick, but to the astonishment of "the whole civil body, the sole representative of the Fourth Estate who remained at his post denied the impeachment in terms more forcible than polite. This slight occurrence was the only relief to six hours' meaningless talk.