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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4915, 22 December 1876, Page 2

A LITTLE misunderstanding occurred at the City Council yesterday during the course of a discussion on the suggestions contained in the Surveyor’s report re the watering of the streets with sea water. Arrangements had been come to with Mr. Mills, proprietor of the Lion Foundry, that the engine used in the foundry should be employed to pump the water into the carts, the price to.be paid being 12s. per day. It was found that the work could not be done for that sum without entailing severe loss on Mr Mills, as the engine was not powerful enough to pump the water, in addition to driving the machinery connected with the foundry works; and hence the pumping was stopped. No one could reasonably blame Mr. Mills for thus consulting his own interest, particularly as the manager of the foundry, Mr. Seager, had asked 30s. -as payment for the use of the engine, and 12s. was agreed upon on the estimate of the City Surveyor. Mr! Moeller said there should -have been some binding agreement betweeuthe parties, so that it should not be in the power of one of them to break the contract. We rather think that Mr. Moeller was unhappy in his expressions, and did not.mean to infer, as Mr.,Mills, thought, that be (Mr. Mills) • was endeavoring to make a profit of the transaction. The latter gentleman informed the Council that he would be only too happy to assist the Council, and simply wanted payment sufficient to cover expenses. Mr. Moellen remarked that he regarded the matter merely from a business point of view, and did not credit Mr. Mills with a desire to make money out of the Council. Under these circumstances, we introduced the subject in this paragraph by referring to the small scene which occurred in the Council yesterday as arising out of “ a little -misunderstanding,” believing that Mr. Moeller did not in the first instance express correctly what was passing in his mind. That gentleman was also somewhat exercised about the resolution which the Wharf Committee passed re the extension of the Queen’s wharf, the which resolution, he said, wanted confirmation by the Council. The Mayor explained that the committee were appointed with full • power to act, but Mr. Moeller, who had evidently got a powerful impression on his mind that matters were not being conducted with due regard to regularity and legal form, appeared to receive the explanation with doubt. Whether it was owing to the former question or the latter, we know not, but Mr. Moeller rose a little time before Councillors dispersed, and told the Mayor that he might possibly send in a letter of resignation at some future date, and in the meantime, like Dick Swiveller said to the Marchioness, he would “leave the gay and festive scene.” It is more than probable that Mr. Moeller was not in earnest, but indulging in a species of grim humor.