THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916 MUNICIPAL "BARRACKING."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 207, 8 September 1916, Page 2

THE Pukekohe & Waiuku Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1916 MUNICIPAL "BARRACKING."

"We nothing extenuate, nor let down auoht in malice."

"One, two, three, four, out," is a popular saying that represents what is popularly known as "barracking" at political gatherings, and a somewhat similar "outing" process characterised the meeting of the Fukekohe Borough Council on Wednesday last, when four members rose from their feats ore after ths other and depar'ed, the Council accordingly being counted out through failure to retain the necessary quorum to permit of the conduct of busress. In Pailiment the method known as "stonewalling," or speeches delivered at a;? inordinate length, for the purpose of avoiding or postponing a vote on the question at issue is not unknown, and in a similar way the incident at the Council's meeting ace imp 11 shed the object aimed a». It is not our purpose to enter into the merits or demerits of tbe cause which was responsible for the occurrence on Wednesday, but at the same time it is only right to say that with lour out of six members of the Works Committee in complete agreement in regard to tbe eclection of a chairman to temporarily act ;n control of the Committee it is decidedly unusual and even extraordinary for tbe Council as a body to seek to act contrary to tbe wishes of such Committee. Whether or not the actual appointment was mac"e at a regularly cr irregularly convened meeting is really outside tbe question at issue, the one aim of the Works Committee being tbat undertakings in hand or projected should not be hindered by reason ot tbe inability through illness of their permanent chairman (Cr Hubbard) to call a meeting of bis colleague*. Witb the ban schemes, recently approved, requirirg early and careful attention this cleavage in the ranks will certtinly not be reassuring to ratepayers , and unless some unison or compromise u arrived at tbe work of the Council threatens to be seriously delayed, it not thwarted, by a constant repetition of rivarly which, whatever sile for the time being gams the upper band, will naturally be to the disadvantage of the administration of municipal affairs.