MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2945, 2 September 1882, Page 2

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF BURGESSES OF THE SOUTH-EASTWARD-

A meeting of burgesses of the South* East Ward was held last evening, at Stone’s Hotel: About 40 persons were present, and Mr Watkins, manager of the Farmers’ Co-operative Association, was voted to the chair.

The Chairman, having read the notice convening the meeting, said it had been called to consider the coming election, and the affairs of the Borough, in consequence of the recent division Into wards. Mr Gowburn. as convener of the meeting, said he bad been the prime mover of the division into wards, and gave an account of what had led to his action in the matter. He also stated that ho had been to - Wellington to interview the Colonial Secretary on the subject, and particularised the various steps be had taken. He bad only to say farther that be thought the bar. gesses ought to look oat for their interests, and put in proper men. He differed-from Councillors who had wished to crush the petition of the burgesses for the division into wards. The Council, by resolution and action, had dope their ; .best to burk the division. They Had asked the Government to use their discretionary power, but he was glad to Bay Government declined to receive anything from the Council except a counter-petition from ratepayers. He had to thank the Colonial Secretary for his courtesy. He bad treated him (the speaker) as "a-gentleman. He wished he could say the same for the Councillors. He intended watching the .Council, and be would expose any wrong action on the pact of individual councillors. There was an autocratic sTown Clerk; and a hobgoblin boy at the Town, Hall, and next time he (the speaker) was insulted there' he would screw the necks of thbse Offending servants. He thought the first business was to elect a 'committee.';’ They wanted : no idlers on the Council. Councillors had no right in the office of the Town Hall. They bad no right to address the ’Council's servants, except through their paid officers. In any other, civilised community they, would be kicked out. We wanted new blood, or there would have been no petition. Such men as Councillor Robs opposed the burgesses’ -petition. He moved—“ That a committee be formed to carry out the views of the ward."

Mr Hay seconded this, and it was carried.

Mr Greenup moved—“ That the com-, mittee consist of Messrs W. Jones, Half Jones, A. 0. G. Stone, T. Allen, and J. Edmisjon,” Mr Levien seconded tbe motion, and it was carried, with the addition that the committee have power to add to their number. Mr Brown asked whether Mr Edmiston was a burgess of the ward. Mr Oowburn said no matter to which ward he belonged a burgess; might act on a committee, though he could not vote.

Mr Oowburn begged to propose Mr Watkins as a fit and proper peirson to represent the ward. This was seconded.. The Chairman said he hoped the meeting would consider that there were more experienced citizens—bat if unanimously asked, ho would consent to stand. Ho had no desire for office.

Mr Greenup thought courtesy to old residents demanded that the Committee should make a report to tbe burgesses before anyone was nominated. He had ne faplt to find with the Council, they had, with their Mayor, brought the town through great financial difficulties, The Council, three years ago. bad an outside creditor who might hare troubled them, but the Council steered the town through that trouble, i A Burgess—Bat it was the former Council that got them ; into the scrape.

Mr Cowbnrn said Mr Greenup had a good! deal of soft-soap, but soft-soap was not wanted now. Mr Greenup had been a conncillor, but the burgesses had. taken good care not to pat him in again. There were working men in the Borough who knew things better than Mr Greenup; who, no doubt, had been brought there to pour oil on the wares. They wanted a solicitor in tbe Town Cleric’s office, not to hare Mr Perry paid £2OO a year to give petty advice. There were councillors present, and he would like to hear something from them. They could talk fast enough in the Gonncil; let them talk here.j Mr Levien said they wanted no family party in the Connell; no brothers brothers-in-law, and aunts, they wanted business men of straightforward habits. He hoped Mr Watkins would not hold bock because of old] residents—there were plenty of washerwomen who were old residents.

Mr Brown thought the Committee hod a very short time to act in. Mr Oowburn said there was a wheel-within-wheel arrangement on the part of the Returning Officer, in fixing the nomination day so early. A Burgess—This meeting ought to know who is nominated, "before separating. The Chairman said three men wore to be nominated.

Mr Cowbum would suggest nomihav ting Mr Jones (of Jones and Peters). Mr Jones declined and begged to substitute the name of Mr Cullmann, who had done no wrong in the past. Mr .Greenup nominated Mr Raymond.

Mr Oowburn nominated, and Mr Dick seconded Mr A. 0. G. Stone. It was carried that the above should he nominated.

A Burgess objected that there were three vacancies, and five nominations. Mr Greenup recommended that all five should go forward and thus give an impetas to the election. The Chairman thought a concentration of fame was boat as at Homo $ to

nominate too many would weaken their strength. Mr Cowburnsaid if any number came forward, the Committee could work the; election of whom they wished. Mr Greenup said he thought the Chairman referred to Irish elections in speaking of “ concentration” but Timaru was different from Ireland. Mr Bush said it was the business of the ratepayers, not of the Committee. Let the burgesses choose for themselves. • The Chairman ruled the speaker out of order, the motion appointing the Committee having passed. Mr H. Jones moved—“ That it be an instruction to the Committee to call a meeting of burgesses to decide who should go to the poll.” The Chairman explained that this meant anybody from outside might go to the poll—but the Committee were to decide who were the persons they would vote for.

Mr Cowburn seconded this, and it was carried.

On thanks being'voted to the Chairthat gentleman said he acknowledged the confidence of the meeting. He had no desire for election, but he represented a large business concern, and he thought he ought, if asked, to take part in public affairs. He had watched the proceedings of the Council, and he had seen sluggishness and many inconsistencies on the part of Councillors. If elected to the Council, he would give to the advancement of Timaru the benefit of his business experience. As to gas, he considered the price here was monstrous. Other towns with coal equally dear, and with no larger population, had gas at 7s fid per 1000 feet. He advocated the gas works being taken in hand by the Borough, .such a step Having been, in his experience, the best way of obtaining cheap gas for the town. It was against common sense that Timaru should be charged such heavy prices. He had noticed at a former meeting of the Council that a member who was also a gas director said (when it was proposed to ask the Gas Company to reduce the scale) that it was •* no use asking, r for if they did it never would be granted, he knew.” Fancy the enormity of a councillor being able to say that, as a gas director! The Council also approached the Gas Company on their knees. It was disgraceful. As'to market reserves, he thought the want of a market was shocking. It was a great hardship to farmers to be obliged to hawk about the town, instead of selling in a public market-place. ■ These were some of the views he hold. He objected to personalities. He would prefer going to the poll without indulging in personalities (Applanse). Mr Jackson said be would like to set the Chairman right. He was not a gas shareholder, though he had been taunted with being so more than once. He had been a Councillor twelve years. He was the heaviest ratepayer in Timaru ; and be would not go against the interests of the Borough. As to the allegation of underhand work, there had been none. The election was by law. As to the division into wards, he objected to the division as an unfair one, and surely he had a right to his opinion. A man might spend his life and money in the public service, and at last be kicked out by what? Well,- he did not wish to give words- to his thoughts. ... , : Mr Gibson said the Town Clerk had !done his full duty in the matter of the burgess rolls. He (Mr Gibson) was a shareholder and director of the gasworks. Still, he did not think that should stamp him as dishonorable. Who could charge him with dishonorable conduct, either in public or private ? The gas company got their coal at 29s fid per ton. He could quote figures' still lower than the chairman could. It did not follow that a man was a scoundrel because bp was in the Council, or a saint because he was out of it. If they did elect a new Council, they themselves again would be called a clique. The Press and the public had a right to pitch into the Council, and a Councillor should have a thick hide. The municipal devil was not as black as he was painted, however. The Council had gone through great straits, and had acted with prudence. As to the Water* works, they' were a success. (Mr Cowburn —“ It’s a,failure.”) In three years the water supply (which was the best asset the Borough possessed) would be extremely cheap to the burgesses. As to the Market Baserve, the Genera! Government would not allow it to be leased—the Council could not help that. As long as the Hon. Mr Bolleston was in office it never would be available. Go in for drainage as soon as possible, he would say. He would submit to be fairly beaten, if he went to the poll. He admired Mr Cowburn’s energy, but thought Mr Cowburn was very wrong to , impute so many motives. He thanked the meeting for their attention. Mr Cowburn said the fact remained that the Councillors were the gas owners, and filled their own pockets at the expense of the Borough, As to the water, it was a failure. The pressure was insufficient, and when there was more machinery at work in town, the Insufficiency would be proved. As it was there were machines that could not work with full power.

A further vote of thanks to th 6 Chairman terminated the proceedings.