BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 62, 12 February 1884, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Special Starting.

At the special -meeting of the Borough Cpupcil, _ held yesterday afternoon, Sere were present: —The Mayor, Crs. ]§ergpson f ,> Linton, ;, West, Stewart, Mowlern, McNeil, and Walker, . - "Aβ Ineligible. Member. s It was [pointed that Gγ Stewart i rnlgFt be considered to hold his seat illegally, as lie had a contract from the Council, in the form of a lease, thereby possibly Tendering him liable to a -penalty. After some discussion Cγ Stefwart . elected to withdraw until legal advice had been taken on the question. '-■'■■'■ • The Special Rate. The next business was to strike a. special fate. •; s 'Mayor proposed that a special 5d in $he £ be which' would enable them >to pay their current expenses. . ,' \ uI Cr McNeil pointed oiit the danger-' ous coudiljioji;: pjs,; the Botatucal Road .drain, which would' He thought an additional "penny In'the £ Would be ; sufficient to: accomplish that work by' puttih^itt^itt 1 ciil vert. • • ; Cγ 'West' was in favour of a much higher rate, say 10d or Is in the £, to wm&6~' new- works iit ihe Bolough tp be'earried out. '•-.

tj of;the Councilors.took .occasiVSh to express the-strongest censure of the cauping which harj boep systematically by the,Aianawatu TimOs" againsvthe'Boreugh 'administration, the . "of which not: faE fo b|e injuriQus to r -the town. Those whjo' $h'j jfe e P^ ace u .y reckon ub pretty"* weu <I "~the "motives whiojb inspired these attacks, but persons iivifig' at' a;''distatice," and j: wno did not know 'w.hkt' 'waij' behind might be prejudiced against through these aspersion's. Several of th|e Councillors expressed themselves verjy strongly on this point, and pointed ou;t how that the efforts of those who had been workinge for jjears in th;o interefsis of'tlie Borotigii, '"were beinjg. thwarted .by the presentations of a person whq haid scarcely ! been a year in the plabe", anjd who both befoi'e and since he : cahie ; t6 the'-'district, had been doing hjs best to ! damage the borough iff Palmerston. And yet those who haid their all at stake, aud f had laboured s|o ; eagerly in the interest of'the placp, >yere riot allowed to be the. Mbest judges of what ft was ppusi(Jered nght/Palmeiston should dij. The sppakerg »hat such a pel-son had not the interest of -Palmerston at beftpt, and that it was very evident that the hostile spirit which hhd beon shown wa*> instigated by a desjre to Buit'private ends, '. ■ j ; Nearly all the Councillor ijspbke in favupr of the smaller rate, Ci , . West j strongly arguing ontjje other side, but I his motion failed to obtain a .secoritler I and consequently lapsetf^' the motion for a Qd rate being carried. . . ' ' if

r ( ; Division' hifco Wards,'.'.-',, y ./thq i'Mayqr next' referred this and reviewed. the action that Jjad been taken by a section of the rate\n ppgaj'ff $° v,^» : w M"?k ac^ on ' was generally cqndejnned.v, \\ -j Cither 'Councillors , refnarked that Jt Was clear that the agitatiQn for division

into wards was due to a desire on the part of two or tlwc-e to gratify their ambition to hold seats in the Borough Council. They bad tried over atal ever again to obtain that position,, but had been unsuccessful. Those who had taken an active pait in furthering; in a clandestine manner the agitation, and gfcttiug , the requisition surreptitious sent to the Government, thus ignoring the Council, again came in for a strong expression of opinion in condemnation of their action.

Several of the Crs .expressed them-' selves as not favourable to the proposed division, and Crs McNeil and West suggested that the ■ Government , . be; written to, recommending that the Borough remain as at present. Those of the Councillors who had' signed, had done so as ratepayers, not as councillors, though advantage had been taken of their names as Councillors to induce additional- weight to attach , to the requisition, thtte virtually misleading the Government: When they sig-ned they naturally expected the: requisition wonld be sent throu»h the customary channel, viz., -the "Borough ; Counciljinstead ot being smuggled away j in the s.urreplitious manner in which it WHS; without the knowledge or consent of the Council. Some of the Crs andf also several of the ratepayers had spoken of the advisability of taking, steps with a view to counteract or oppose, the requisition, but it out that it did not matter , now, and that it would perhaps be better to consider 'the most advisable scheme of division into 'wards. '

The Mayor sngcrested his original proposal,,viz., That the central ward.be'bri.unded ononii side by a line run-, hing Ipiu Boundary Road, along the back.6fiectibri :, 2B4:, and taking in Pitt* street,':tb the river;.and on the other, by.a'iiuV'yiiso' starting from Boundary Road West, and taking in North, i)uke, J arid Princess streets, and so on to tlie river. Theothcr two wards ,to be on either side of the central ward*. He fepoke in suppprt of the proposal; Crs L ! Leayy, and otbor were in favour of a viz.',' io divide tlic Borough- ihto foui* w-aids, !;j ßangitiUei. ai)d v;Fiizl)erbevt-i sI reets being.the eehtral b division in one 'dlrectibnV in the c o I lshdivi Thik latter pvoposal waS'ivltimiitely' ac-j ; ce'pteci!'by. J the'Oo'uucil,' a'iid 4 it-was :ve4 solved to corivene a pn'blur "ni'teting : ofj 'ratepayers; -6b whieTi-'io *übmiti thq Council's recbmmettcTa'tibn>''to'l)e by it; adopted or, otherwise; But this; each quarter of the' : would ■ beiitideT the wayd,i and twelve Councillors wffl'frtfquire \ to; ! be i eiected;'all HKose ] at present id Office,! \vltii the ekcepiion°of '■ the . Mayor, re-j tiring the s'tib"'division into wards takes' place. ; !,;i .' :,! , ; ■• " >;; ■'■■ .