CITY COUNCIL. THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 247, 17 October 1874, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

THE WEEK.

Fbidat, October 16. Tbe Council met at half-past sue. Present, all the members. Mr Wigzell was du'y installed as Town Clerk, and returned his thanks to the Council for the confidence th- y had bestowed upon bim io electing him to the post. On the motion of Cr Thompson a vote of thankswas passed to Mr Younger for the manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of Town Clerk since the expiration of the old Board of Works. The Mayok stated that he had waited on the Government with resptct to the gas and water works, whi n the Provincial Secretary stated that he considered them to have been , in the possession of the Couni il since the Ist instant. He further stated that the Government was about to appoint a Commission to inquire into the waterworks account. He (the Mayor) hnd relused to bear the cost of such Commi?.-ion. A discussion ensued, in which exception was tLken to the Government interfering in any way, and to the Provincial Secretary's attempting to dictate to the Council upon the subject. On the motion of Cr Haddow, it was resolved that the Government be asked to appoint some person to act in conjunc i»n wuh Mr Gou stone in examining the accounts. The Government and the Council each to pay its own Commissioner. The report of the Public Works Committee was read aud adopted. Oa the question of Mr Mirfin's dismissal coming on for discussion, Cr Haddow said that he considered that the Mayor had acted with undue and indecent haste in the mufrer, and that the letter he had written to Mr Mirfin waa irregular and unauthorised by the Council. He moved a resolution to that tffect. The Mayor said that he had acted with the best of intentions, and with a view to keeping down the expenses. . If the Council disapproved of his action, he was ready to resign to-morrow. Cr Eeld would object strongly to carrying any such resolution a. that proposed by Cr Haddow except f. r ihe gravest of reasons. The Mayor had always been most zealous in his endeavors io forward the interests of ihe Corporation and City, and he would be no party to passing a vote of censure upon bim for so slight an irregularity. He would move as an amendment, " That the letter to~*Mr Mirfin be withdrawn." Cr Haddow would withdraw his resolution, t move as an amendment to Mr Fell's motion that the words "as irrtgular" be added. Cf Fell objected to the amendment, as conveying an uncalled for vote of censure upon the Mayor. Cr Haddow would adhere to his amendment, as he thought the Mayor had no right to act as he hai done, and the matter ehould hot be a lowed to pass unnoticed. On the amendment being put, Crs Haddow and Stringer voted for and the remainder of the Counci lors against it. Mr Fell's resolutici was then put and carried. The Survejor then read his estimate of the revenue and expenditure tor the ensuing year, and stated that h? had calcula'ed tha-7 s a rate of a shilling in the pound on the value to let of the town prope ty, which was equivalent to about seven eighths of a penny on the value to sell, would be required to be levied. This would produce a sum of £2111. On the motion of Cr Bdbn it was resolved, "That a rate of one shilling in the pound bo levied " A letter was received from the Provincial Secretary stating that Mr Gre n ofthe Saods was willing to contribute one-half the amount for making a good brllle track round tinRocks, -nd suggesting that the Counci, in co junction with the Waimea Road Board, should find the baia cc. The reply was that, in he « pinio > of the Council, the work should be done by prison 1-itior. Cr Haddow gave notice that he would move at the next meeting of the Council:— 1. "That thi- Council adve-tise for a duly qualified person to fill the office of Mana»> r of t c Gas and Waterworks, and city Surveyor, at a salary of £250 a year, with a house 2. That the Manager of the Gas and Waterworks, the acting City Surveyor, and the Collector of Rates, namely, Messrs Y- unger, Mirfin, and Watts, each receive notice that their se- vices will not be required after ths day three months." Tne collector of r_tes having stated thit he experienced great difficulty in getting in the arrears, was instructed to prep ire a list of the defaulters. The Council then adjourned.

There actually has been some little excitement provided for as during tbe course of tbe present week, and a theme for conversation bes not been wanting in drawing-rooms, at street corners, over shop counters, and at the bars of public houses. And, further, I think that the week has been useful in its way in our little history, since it has been one in which our Provincial Secretary, who had begun to regard himself as an autocrat before whom all must bow has been taught that there exists a power superior even to that which he would wield. He has learned that even be cannot transgress the law with impunity ; he has discovered that he is not justified in seizing and retaining another man's property, even though he should call in the police to asais't him iv so doing; he has, in fact, been compelled to partake of a dish for which he could have but little relish — be bos been made to eat humble pie. And high time it was that such a lesson should be taught and brought home to him, for without some such wholesome check there is no knowing where he would have stopped in his wild career. He had fairly taken the bit between bis teeth, and was off upon a gallop that was attended with considerable risk, if not to the lives and limbs, at least to tbe liberty and property of her Majesty's subjects. But he has been pulled up somewhat sharply, and, prance and curvet a 9 he may under such restraint, he will, perhaps, in his calmer movements, learn to be thankful that a pull was taken at the curb rein, and that he was not allowed to have his own way too long, for conee quencea might have ensued that would have been dangerous to himself as welt as to others. As we all know, Responsible Government is now the order of the day in Nelson, and responsible government of necessity implies that there should be some permanent officer at the head of the governmental department, who should be well acquainted with the run of the ropes, and be able to give information to aoy new Executive that might find its way into office. We may bave a new Government every year \, we may perhaps bave two or three it/ tbe course of a session of the Council, so that it is absolutely necessary that, when ihe new men step into the sho?s of their predecessors, there should be someone to instruct shera in tbe details of the office. But our present Responsible Government, having had an opportunity for the last four or five months of sucking the brains of the clerk who after a long experience has made himself thoroighiy acquainted with the routine of the office, say, " Let's now get rid of him, he's not half as subservient to our wishes as he ought to be," and so it is rule I that ha is to be sent away, and to be replaced by another «lerk from Mr O'Conor's pet town, Westport. Every new Executive, then, is to follow its own, or its leader-, bent with regard to the appointment of a clerk, so that if Mr Jones comes into office to-morrow, he may pack off ihe officer he finds in charge, and appoint one of his owu choice, and Mr Robinson, who follows him, on ibe succeeding wetk, can do the same, and the cud will be that neither the Executive n.r anyone else will know anythiog of the forms or usages of the Provincial Government, and everything will arrive at that glorious state of muddle to which we lire rapidly hasten Dg. The Superintendent ct-rtainly is a fixture for four years, but he has told us distinctly that lie is not to be depended on for good or Ur e\ il. He has calmly accepted the position of signer geueral to everything that Mr O'Conor puts before him, and has placed himself upon a level wilh one of those stamping machines that you may buy for about thirty shillings, and screw on lo the counter. With such excrllent arrangements as we bave in Nelson for governing ourselves, what n huge pity it would be if Provincial institutions were abolished. Could we, would we, should we survive their loss ? Well, I don't know, perhaps we might. Some constituencies must be very difficult to represeut, and among them lam disposed to include that of the Suburbs of Nelsoi. How en earth is their member going to (five sitisfuction t<> ail when the great Provincial question comes under dhcussion in the Assembly. He held a meeting at Richmond and was told that those io that district whom he represented were averse to aboliehicg Provincial insti-, 4a.tionsj.ist yet; he then went to Stoke/ and the^Sftne opinio- was ex pressed there ; after that Le visited WakJpuakß, and there was told to get rid of tbe hateful thing as coon as possible. Now, what is be to do ? Aud the difficulty of his position ia vastly increased by the fact that the recent proceedings of t! c ProviueUl Secretary, which are of a later date tban that on which be heid his meeting at Richmond, will have rendered dearer than ever to the hearlß ol the people of the province, ihe institutions under which tbey now live and enjoy such liberty and such freedom of action. I cannot but sympathise with ihe member for the suburbs. Some people have an intense objection to the mourning paraphernalia by which we at present testify our respect for the dead. Hearses, mourning coaches, and hatbands they condemn in the strongest terms, while others go still further, and object to tbe custom of wearing black clothes. The mourning, they say, for which they would moat care would

ba that of tho heart and not of the back. But where the grief is sincere I can see no objection to the mourner, if he thinks fit, displaying it in a public manner. Now I was deeply touched on taking up the other day a newspaper publisbed in New Zealand, — it matters not in what part — to find therein a conspicuous tribute of respect to a dear departed one. It consisted of 4 thick.black lines in the form of a square, between which I read with tears in my eyes the following advertisement: — " J— R— ■ blacksmith, in, thanking the public of 1 for the liberal patronage hitherto accorded to his late brother, Robert, desires to inform them that he will still carry on the bnsiness, and trusts by attention to merit a continuance of their support." Can anyone say that the black edge which surrounded thi. announcement was misplaced ? Shame, I say, on those who would scoff at crape and black-edged note paper. F. (For remainder of News ccc fourth page.)