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Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 28, 11 January 1864, Page 2

Notwithstanding that the older members of the Town Board have gained something Hkeexperienceere this and that uewer, or more lately elected members, are men to whom the public gave ciedit for shrewdness and judgment, the Hoard is still as far off as it was six months since from that state of efficiency we hoped to see it in. The uew members have already fallen into the groove so well worn by the old Board ; the new blood, which was to regenerate the body municipal, has been absorbed into the old system, of which it now forms a part, without re-invigorating it; ] and — contrary t ■ precedent — the old I leaven of unrighteousness has so acted on the new leaven of righteousness that the whole is again one solid mass of incapacity. In the same old way of blnnderingand incapacity for managing ! (he municipal business of the town, that was exhibited some months ago, the present body continues. The majority of them staying away from one meetiuo 1 an( j allowing important business to j be delayed by the constant result of, "no quorum;'' and again, the~e-atH r e--i body rushing the Board room whe i there is any patronage to bestow in the way of appointing an Engineer, ami over the latter business squabbling and fighting worse than the members at a parish vestry meeting, the proceedings of the Board are becoming a bye word in the mouths of the townspeople If their style of doing business merely resulted in affbiding a harmless amusement to themselves, it might be passed over in silence ; but when it :s actually damaging to the interests and the progression of the town, their incapacity assumes a more serious light. On Friday we called attention to a gross blunder by the Board in the second election of art engineer,, Mr Kicbardson, before the first appointment was cancelled according to the prescribed rules for conducting their business. The rescinding of the first appo ntment was totally illegal. It was done on a motion for not confirming the minutes containing the r< cord of the first appointment, when, according to the Board's Standing Orders, which all who run may read plainly enough, no discussion, and consequently no motion can be allowed on their submission to the Board for eonri mat ion, " except as r.o their accuracy." Now, it wanted no legal quibbling, no hair-splitting argument to prove that the minutes were otherwise than an accurate iecord of the appointment of Mr Kempson, according to the majority of votes of the members then present. Yet the for mer resolution of the Board was ignored oh the motion of a member who should have known it was not in order; seconded by another member who, perhaps, was willing to take advantage of the blunder, for the purpose of making a fresh appointment ; wrongly permitted by the Chairman, who had a few minutes previously been re-elected for his superior qualifications in conducting the proceedings of the Board, and unanimously sanctioned by the approving votes of the members present, to whom, it may charitab'y be supposed, the Standing Orders were sealed mysteries. We say nothing as to the eligibility or otherwise of Mr Richardson for the duties of Engineer ; he may, or may not be, the most fit man on the list of applicants for the office, and may have been elected on his merits ; but in the name of common sent>e, let his appointment not be in diect contradiction to the ordinary rules for conducting the affairs of a public body, and his election be established as a precedent for any similar ridiculous proceeding in future.