The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1884. TEMUKA TOWN BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1212, 2 August 1884, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1884. TEMUKA TOWN BOARD.

When Temuka was about to elect a Town Board we Supported the' candidature of Messrs Blyth, tifay and Quinn. Wo now p.ee the error of our ways. As regards the . two .first-named gentlemen none could perform their functions more worthily, but we are sorry to say we cannot" say so much for the latter, liver since Mr Quinig took his seat' on the. Board lie has vbehaved himself so that, we often wonder at the patience.of (he Chairman in putting >p with the rudeness of his ’ conduct. ’He commenced by attacking the Chairman on, account, of .requiring from the publicans payment for the increased license fees, and followed it up by trying to prevent the adoption of by-laws. *We have purposely refrained from reporting, the unseemly scenes which took place over the hy-laws, because the Board w'as new, i and we desired to hide its little tailings in the hope that time would bring round a more amicable state of things/ When we speak of the' Board, however, we must not allow it to.be understood that any disagreement exist. o , except such as is caused by the factious opposition, or. rather, the rudeness, of Mr Quinn .to.the Chairman, All the other members work harmonious!v together, and uphold the Chairman in everything. Civilised beings will recognise that it is absolutely necessary for any governing body to have rules and by-laws for the purpose of regulating the conduct of their business. , .Mr-Quinn, however, dijl ',not recognise this. His contention was that every one knew what the .filled for conducting business were ; owing, no doubt, to his ignorance of the tact-that unless the Board adopted rules they .could not be bound, by them, and, that there would be nothing but. chaos and confusion where no rules existed. It rvas most amusing to hear him ridicule the introduction of parliamentary rules,., and giving instances of the way things were done in the Temuka ' Re ad Board, ; Of

course Mr Quinn may be pardoned for thinking the Tenant,a Road Board the very acme of perfection, - because . fys knowledge of, public bodies is .limited to that institution, and he knows no better. He may “ take our tip for it,” however, that the only rule which is kndwn with regard to the conduct of any Eoad Board we have ever seen—and we have seen a good many—asthe‘‘rulebfthnrab.” Had Mr Quinn remained silent on -these points no one would have known but that he did ■ know something about them, but it is always the way—the' pragmatic jackdaw will tell its own tale. The rules were passed, but lie Still continues to barrass the Chairman'., On Wednesday evening tenders were opened by the Chairman, but Mr Qpinn hel l it was the Clerk who ought to open'them because it was. the Clerk did it in the Temukai Road Board, and he. went to. the ridiculous extentof moving a' resolution to that effect. No one seconded it—of course no,; one would be so foolish, for. it was npfhiog short of on insult to the Chairman—and it fell through. Of course? anyone ought to know that it is fhe and the Chairman only, who ought to. open tenders. Next.came the question of making a footpath,; etc.,,-ip ' Commerce street. In this street Mr Job Brown. has a_grain store. arid he has been in the habit rf backing dray's up to it,, to load and unload grain. The propositi was to make a footpath. in front of this store, and this would have the effect of preventing Mr Brown from backing up hia drays ,aa usual. Mr Brown, of course, represented ! to the Hoard that this.would inflict some hardship upon himself, and all tha members recognised it except, Mr Quinn, who advocated the making of the footpath with a warmth 'that seemed to indicate (hat ha land Mr Brown have not dined to-

gether for some time. He could get no one to second bis resolution again, db<J. so it fell to ;the .• ground.,He thc*n he,;d ■’that even- though the footpath was dot made Mr Bro*wn could; be pimjshcJ for obstructing the- if he brought carts- close to his' grain store, •grid as this idea was endorsed by the members present we think the matter impoi tant enough to say, £ word,, upon iti iln the-; strictest! sense, Mr Brown would commit -an 'offence by-laws by standingbis carts in this ' place, but: Purely tlib‘ Board does not intend to resort to such squeamlshneps as that; To. prevent Mr Brown from backing his carts up , to the store.in question would be to inflict a hardship upon,him without doing any body any good ; to allow him the privilege of doing .so would enable- him to work . more expeditiously, without the public, being" Id the ’'slightest inconvenienced. We ask the Board if are they going to make use of their by-laws thus ? Wehave too good an opinion of their good sense to believe they will. Individuals have rights as well- as the public,.and they are only interfered,, .vyith v ,when the safety -and convenience of the public demands if. In this case neither the ! safety nor the convenience', of the-public, requires that a hardship shall he inflicted on Mr Brown, and to ,puc j(|i& by-laws*in force in this matter.would (he an unnecessary exercise of authority. By informingthe police tliat.Mr Brown has liberty to back his carts up to> the grain;store the ’whole thing is settled and no-more will bn heard of it. We trust the Board will .be very careful as regards their bylaws, or else they will be looked upon as persecutors instead of good governors of’thh'lown! There is reason in every-: thing, but there is; neither sense nor reason in inflicting injury on any one when no one is to be benefitted by it.