CITY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4379, 2 April 1875, Page 2

CITY COUNCIL.

’ ! The ordinary fortnightly meeting of'the Council was held yesterday. Present :-The Mayor (in the chair),' Councillors' Greenfield, Gillon, Cleland, Lransfield, G-eorge, and Rainie. ' :; A return asked for by Councillor Gillon in reference to the waterworks account was laid on the table. ' , ' ■ f . : " PRIVILEGE. Councillor Dranspield, before the business of the meeting was proceeded with, said he wished to call the attention-of the Council to a breach of privilege. Members of the Council must have noticed that the proceedings of the Waterworks Committee had been reported in one of the local papers, and he desired to know whether that was in accordance with their rules. In the event of his Worship ruling that it was, he would suggest that the Clerk should be instructed to give notice to all the local papers,-so that they should be placed upon an equal footing.

The Mayor : I am -not familiar with the exact circumstances of the case upon which I am asked to give my ruling, but I understand it to be this : —A member of the Corporation is, Tbelieve, connected with the Wellington Press, and he, as a member of a : committee, was in possession—— Councillor Gillon : I ’should like to know, Mr. Mayor, what question it is upou which Councillor Dransfield asks you to rule. I think he should state his own case.

The Mayor': Perhaps you will allow me to give my own views upon the matter without interruption. Councillor Lransfield wishes to know ; whether of not the rules which govern our • procedure permit the publication of what transpires at committee meetings.- ; In the absence of any recorded rule, we must refer to the practice of Parliament, and in the Stand-ing-Orders’of the House of : Representatives, which are based upon the rules of the House of Commoiii?, ’ I find a rule' which’ leaves it in the power of a committee "to exclude or admit strangers as it pleases'. Except in'tlle case of secret committees, strangers are not excluded during the examination of witnesses ; but when the committee is deliberating, strangers are always excluded. I see no reason, therefore, why strangers, amongst whom would be included representatives of the Press,, should be

excluded from committee meetings of the Council—for, it must be borne in mind any member of a committee may at any time move that strangers be excluded, and thus prevent publicity being given to matters which it would be undesirable to make public.

Councillor Gillon : I know of no case in in which the proceedings of a committee have been made public. I ask Councillor Hrans-

field to mention a case ? Councillor Dransfield : I could refer to more than one case ; but as I have been asked to particularise, I may specify the last meeting of the Waterworks Committee. Councillor Gillon : In that case the decision arrived at was made public. There was no report of the proceedings of the committee. Councillor Dransfield : I don’t say the proceedings were reported. In fact, there lies my objection ; that only the decision and such parts of the proceedings as suited the reporter were given. If the proceedings, or any J)art of the proceedings of committees, are to be made public, why not allow all the reporters to be present ? Councillor Gillon : I deny that it is at all improper or irregular for members of committee to speak outside of what has taken place at their meetings after a decision has been arrived at. I have often written paragraphs upon information obtained, from members of committees of the House of Representatives, and that was not thought to be singular. Ido not attend the meetings of the committees as a member of the Press, but I deny the right of Councillor Dransfield to shut my mouth iu regard to what takes place at those meetings. As soon as a committee of the House of Representatives has concluded its inquiries, and a decision has been arrived at, it becomes common talk iu the lobbies, and the newspapers comment upon it. Therefore,' I object altogether to ray Connection with the Press being brought up as a reason why I should be prevented from speaking upon any matter which comes before me in committee. I will not submit to any such dictation. Councillor George : I see no objection to bare facts being made public, but in this particular instance the action of the committee was commented upon, and certain Councillors were mentioned by name. It was specially mentioned that “Councillor Gillon dissented.” I do not object to reference being made to resolutions passed, but I do object to members of the commitee being individualised. The Mayor: AVhatever opinions we may have upon the good taste or propriety of one member of the committee making public what takes place at its meetings, the law of the case appears to be very simple. At a committee meeting a member of the committee may move that strangers be requested to withdraw, but unless a committee is named as a secret committee anybody may be present. Councillor George : Would you call the meetings of the Waterworks Committee secret committee meetings 1 Councillor Gillon: Certainly not.

The Mayor: X don’t think that can be called a, .secret committee. It is not for me to lay down a definite rule upon the matter; but for my own part I would make the proceedings of the committees as public as possible, and permit reporters to be present; except, of course, where it was undesirable that matters should not be precipitated by publicity. Councillor Lransrield: I am sorry Councillor Gillon has thought proper to address me personally during this discussion. The subject is a public one, and I simply maintain * that if our proceedings are to be reported, the public generally have the right to be present. I object to being made the object of a personal attack in connection with such a matter. Councillor Gillon : I don’t know that I have attacked Councillor Hransficld. I rather think he has made an attack upon me, Councillor Dranspield: Then I understand your ruling, Air. Mayor, to be that reporters

• should be permitted to be present at committee meetings, except when they are to be isecret committees. ; :;i '5 The Matob : That is . my awn view <sf the matter. • ■' j.'Councillor Gillon ; I object tb'~that.--' think it would be extremely^-inconvenient to have all the utterances of Councillors at committee (meetings reported. The Clerk inquired whether he should enter -it in the minutes that the reporters be invited to attend oomm’ttee meetings ? The Mayor : Not invited ; that permis.sion ,be..given to .the public to attend if-they like.

Councillor Gillosi ; I shall object to that also. I would suggest that the reporters be allowed to see the minutes of committees after the meetings. , ■ - , , Councillor Bainie said he should object altogether to the proceedings of. committee meetings being made public,'as in many cases they would find it extremely awkward. The discussion then became very irregular, and The Mayor instructed the Clerk to proceed with the business on the order paper, MAP OP THE CITY. Mr. Wise, of Dunedin, in answer to an inquiry from the, Council, offered to supply 100 plans of the city for £8 17s. .The oiler was accepted. ‘ ' . THE .HATE ROLL. . : . The Secretary to the Education Board the Council to name a sum at which they would permit the Education Board to make use of the Corporation Bate. 801 l for assessment purposes. i' The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr. Graham that he could have the roll for £2O. .T' ■' THE BASIN RESERVE.Mr. Duncan MeDougall and otliors petitioned the Council to place a gate at the south end of the Basin Eeserve. Councillor George moved that the application be not complied with. Councillor Gillon said the matter could not be formally- dealt- with, as : the deputation spoken of in the petition were not present to support it. He intended to support the application, and would, suggest that - instead of shelving, the. petition altogether ,the matter should bo allowed to lapse. Councillor Dransfield said; be intended- to oppose the application to the :utmost of his power, as the opening of the gate would destroy a valuable recreation, ground. The application .was allowed to lapse. ~ ’EXPRESS STAND. ..-A number of express proprietors and owners of property in Grey-street, petitioned'to have the express stand removed to the-south aide of Grey-street" ' ..' ■r' ■ ■■ l . - ;■ i Councillor George moved that the matter be referred to the members for the ward. Councillor Dransfield said the members for the ward had already given their opinion, by removing the stand from Grey-street. Councillor Bainie moved that the'petition be acceded to. ' : ' Councillor Gillon- seconded the amendment. Ultimately the matter was postponed, for a fortnight. tory-strebt. An application from Mr. Bobert Edwards for repairs to the footpath in Tory-street was reaiU Councillor Gillon- thought all such letters ■ should stand referred to the Public Works Committee. ■ ■

Councillor Dransfibld would always advocate tlie : production of such letters at their general meeting. He knew .‘of no good reason why the ratepayers should not have the right of : direct appeal, to the Council. The Mayor was of the same but the Council had passed a resolution to the effect that all such letters should stand referred. toTthe Public Works Committee sheet. The letter was so referred. • MARTIN-STREET,. Certain residents in Martin-street petitioned the Council to reconsider its decision in reference to Martin-street, and complete the formation of the street upon the residents paying half of the cost. Councillor Greenfield moved that the formation of the street be proceeded with. ■ Councillor Gillon looked upon the case as an exceptional one, and one that should be at once dealt with by the Council. Councillor Dranseield was of a similar opinion. . Councillor Greenfield’s motion was agreed to. ARTHUR-STEEET, p A letter from Mr. J. G. Allan was referred to the Public Works Committee. GENERAL MATTERS. •„ Letters from the Public Works Department, and from Messrs. Beck and Tonka, were passed over as being dealt with in a report to be presented by the Public Works Committee. There being a considerable amount of business still to be disposed of, the Council decided upon postponing the remaining business to an adjourned meeting, to be held next evening at half-past seven.