THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3071, 18 December 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1878.

XBZ third Wednesday in the month of December is fixed by statute ai the day on which ere// Borough Council ■hill hold an annual meeting for the installation of Mayor and other business. To-day only four councillors attended at the Borough Chambers namely, Messrs Wit •on, Price, McGowan and Mennie. After some time Cr Brassey was solicited by the rate collector to put in an appearance to i make a quorum, but he declined. Councillor McGowan then tried hii persuasive powers,, but without avail. Councillor Brassey remained obdurate, and expressed himself to the effect that a coach and lour would not take him to the meet* ing. The consequence was that the four councillors present/ bettering that they could hot proceed to business without a quorum, adjourned the meeting till halfpast four o'clock to-day. Tae execrable taste displayed by Mr Brassey is only what we might expect from him after his conduct during the late election; bat we trust the burgesses of Middle Ward will take an "opportunity of letting him know that when they elected him to the position of a Borough Councillor they did so under the impression he had some capacity; fb/ the office. They never imagined that he would exhibit such a paltry, contemptible spirit as he has done to-day by purposely absenting himself from a statutory meeting of the Council simply to gratify private feeling. He made a declaration a few weeks ago to " faithfully and impartially, and according to the best of his skill and judgment, execute the powers and authorities rested in him as a Borough Councillor," yet with a nice sense of honor he absents himself from a statutory meeting of the Council, and when urged to attend because circumstances render it impossible to get a quorum together without him he steadily refuses. This action Mr Brassey may justify to himself, fie is evidently not troubled with an over sensitive conscience; but having the legal status of a gentleman, and belong, ing to a learned profession^ he was expected to show some regard for the proprieties in his position as a Borough Councillor. He ■' has chosen a different course, and the action of to day by which he attempted to put an indignity upon the Mayoral office and the burgeses of Thames will be remembered against him if heerer offers himself for a 'public position again. He is evidently unfitted for the position to which he has been elevated. If he consults his own peace of mind and

reputation, and the interests of the rate-payers,-he will retire and make room for a better man.