THE RAILWAY CELEBRATION.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1094, 3 October 1883, Page 2

THE RAILWAY CELEBRATION.

Shelving a. Request.

At the Borough Council meeting on Monday night a letter from the Railway Demonstration Committee was read asking the Council to make a grant towards defraying the expenses incurred in celebrating the occasion of the opening of the railway extension from Waverlcy to Munutahi. Upon the letter being road, Cr Bright asked leave to withdraw as he was interested in the matter, Gr Deane remarked that there would lie no quorum then, there being only five present altogether. The Mayor said it was not necessary for Cr Bright to withdraw. He could speak with reference to the application, but could not vole. Cr Paul asked the Clerk if any invitation bad been sent to either the Mayor or Councillors to he present on the occasion to which Mr Eyton replied that ho did not know. The Mayor stated that he had not received any written invitation but a deputation from the commit'-ee had wailed on him and asked him if he intended to take action in the mailer. He had attended the committee meeting though really he was never on the | committee. He did not take action on J behalf or the Council in any wst. 3 Cr Aitchison asked if the Mayor | considered he had committed the Ccran- j cil in any way with regard to expense. The Mayor did not. The Mayor was elected by the people, and he did not think that in . any of his pnblic actions he committed the Council. Cr Aitchison’s reason for asking was that if in his official capacity the Mayor had found it necessary to incur any expense, he (Cr Aitchison) for one would not feel disposed to quarrel with him about it; but seeing that the Mayor had not, be did not think they could do anything in the matter, which seemed to have been actually dealt with by the resolution dealing to have anything to do with i f passed at a former meeting of the Council.

Cr Aitchison proposed that the letter lie on the table, which was seconded by Gr Paul. Cr Deane moved as an amendment “ That the Railway Demonstration Committee be informed that their request cannot be granted.” The Mayor in speaking to the motion thought Cr Deane’s amendment more to the point as it would relieve the committee from any expectation or otherwise, but he saw the only course open to them was Cr Aitchison’s motion. They could not vote any money till the former resolution bad been rescinded and that could not be done till notice of motion had been given, Cr Aitchison thought the motion was preferable to the amendment, as they were small in numbers that night and it gave an opportunity of the matter being brought up again, but the amendment clearly shut the thing off altogether. Cr Deane’s object in moving the amendment was so that the affair might be settled. It seemed a pity to make the Committee believe that the Council were going to do any tiling. He did not think the Council would do anything. He thought it would be far more satisfactory to give the Committee a definite answer at once. , : The' Mayor said he was interested to a certain extent in the Council granting the money, but if a disinterested councillor would :move that the former resolution bo rescinded, then the committee might have some hope. ■ 1 Cr Aitchison was disinterested, but he certainly would not move that the resolution be rescinded. Cr Paul thought that thexoramiltee had received their answer already, but as they had made the request, he would like to see a fall meeting of the Council. ; J ; No seconder being forth coming, Cr Deane’s amendment consequently lapsed and Or Aitchison’s motion was carried. The application therefore may be said to bo completely shelved, and the committee’s hopes of having their debt settled by the Borough are unceremoniously nipped in the bud.