BASKIN AND SMITH, LTD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 46, 21 September 1916, Page 8

BASKIN AND SMITH, LTD.

MORE COUNCIL AMENITIES. "WAS IT A PUT-UP JOB?" Before the adoption yesterday of the minutes of the August meeting of the Council, Cr. Smith took exception to the attitude adopted hy Cr. Christoffel, as acting chairman, in refusing to take Cr. Buskin's motion that the Engineer's salary be reduced as brought forward at the last meeting. Cr Christoffel on his own initiative had moved a motion, which was not a motion at all, but simply an abortive one, and everyone knew that the motion he moved was a direct negative. "If," continued Cr Smith, ''yon put a slight on Cr. Baskin, you put a slight on me. it is for this Council to do the correct thing and expunge it from the minutes." The Chairman: Are the minutes correct ? Cr. Smith: No; they are not. The acting chairman was out of order. When the time came for Cr. Baskin to move his motion, you vacated the chair, and Cr. Christoffel took your place. It looks like a put-up job. I will certainly oppose the adoption of the minutes. If you will go on like this, you will have nothing less than Billingsgate methods. A voice: "We should have some cheap fish then, perhaps."

I Readers may remember that the ordinary motion brought forward by Cr. Chistoffel at the last mooting was: "That the questions involved by the proposed notice of motion standing in the name of Cr. Baskin had been sufficiently discussed and answered, and ought "not to be renewed at the present time." Cr. Smith, at last meeting advised Cr. Baskin to withdraw his motion. When the motion was brought forward by Cr. Baskin it was not seconded and was accordingly lost. The acting chairman then put the motion before referred to, and it was declared carried. Yesterday, Cr. Smith, rather than let that little matter drop, gave notice that he would move at the next meeting that a vote of censure be passed on Cr. Christoffel for his unfair and biassed ruling on the IGb August last. The minutes were afterwards passed, Crs. Baskin and Smith voting against then- adoption.