STRATFORD NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 133, 14 September 1910, Page 8

STRATFORD NOTES.

BOUOUUII COUNCIL,

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Last Night. The proceedings of the Borough Council last night were of a lengthy nature. There were some lively passages, and at times the interjections were rather humorous. Everything went along smoothly and expeditiously till Cr. Pagut's uotiee of motion to dispense with the borough overseer and substitute for him a working foreman was reached. Then the "full flowing river of speech" broke forth. Cr. Paget, in supporting his motion, wished to make it perfectly clear that he was not actuated by any feeling towards the borough foreman, but was simply doing what he considered his duty to the ratepayers. | A lengthy discussion ensued, during the course of which the 'Mayor pointed out I that if during the past year the scheme proposed by Cr. Paget had been in force the commission to the engineer would have been more than the amount paid to the borough foreman, and then the Council would only have had his services for the various contracts in force and not to look after the various works in the borough. On ibeing put to the vote the motion was lost by 7 to 3. Things went along smoothly again till that debatable issue—the electric light —was reached, when the Mayor moved an amendment to the second and third 1 resolutions carried at the last meeting to the effect that the Council are willing to take over the plant at valuation on the condition that the company fix the value of the goodwill, and providing that if the Council consider this reasonable, a meeting of the ratepayers will be called and a poll taken on the matter. The motion was seconded by Cr. Ward. Crs. Anderson, Budge and King retired. After discussion the proposal was carried by 6 to 1, Cr. Young opposing it. The notice of motion by Cr. Paget, amending the charges for the use of the Town Hall so that, where a company charged' 4s, 3s alid 2s, the rental be £(5, was carried.

Cr. Young's notices of motion regarding the electric light then came up, and the discussion became a trifle heated. Crs. Anderson and Budge were about to leave the room when the Mayor said, as the motion was one affecting the ratepayers and not the company, there was no necessity for them to retire. Cr. Paget took exception to Cr. King remaining, and considered that he should retire. Cr. Budge said that as a director of the company he did not intend to take part in the debate, but as Cr. King was simply a shareholder the position was different. Cr. King said that, with the Mayor's permission, he would remain. If the ratepayers did not approve of his action they could put him out at j next election. He considered it was his 'duty, as the matter affected the pock- , ets of the ratepayers, to remain. It seemed to him that the motion was simply to gratify some remarks of Cr. Young, and the ratepayers were to be asked to foot the bill. At this stage most of the councillors appeared to be bobbing up and down and trying to talk. Cr. Paget said he was prepared to test the feeling of the meeting by moving that Cr. King retire. Cr. Young then replied to Cr. King, and a controversy apart from the matter at issue ensued.

Cr. Young: You wait till the next election, till you face the ratepayers. Cr. King: Your name's "Mud." Or. Young: Don't you make a mistake. Cr, King: I am positively certain the ratepayers will put you out. After further remarks and interjections from other councillors the Mayor ruled that Cr. King was in orddr in remaining. Cr. King said lie did not wish to take part in the voting, but simply desired to speak on the motion. Cr. Young then proceeded to speak in support of his motion, and quoted expert's advke, which, in his opinion, showed the company had not been keeping the light up to the standard. Cr. Paget seconded the motion pro forma, and moved an amendment that the matter stand over till some future date. Cr. Ward seconded this, and after a lengthy discussion it was carried. It was now five minutes past twelve, and Cr. King asked when the improvement scheme which Cr. Young told the ratepayers he was going to bring forward was to come before the Council. Cr. Paget rose to a point of order. Further general discussion ensued, in which

councillors appeared n minus to <*et home. Finally Cr. Paget moved, and Or. Ralfe seconded, that the accounts be taken as read and the meeting adjourn. More discussion, and about three times as much time wasted as it would have taken to answer Cr. King's question. The resolution was carried, and at 12.20 a.m. the councillors started on their ways home. NOTES. The Public Works Department are laying a telephone wire to Te Wera. This has become necessary on account of the amount of communication that is now proceeding. News was received in Stratford today that Mr. W. Palmer, who was a wellknown guard on this section of the railway line, died at Wangnnui this morning. Deceased married the eldest daughter of Mr. W. Brooking.