The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4892, 13 September 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1884.

— ~#~- It is a matter for regret that interests other than those of the public should be allowed to interfere with the operations of any.local body, yet it would appear that such is the case in connection with Borough matters at present. The general good seems to be a matter entirely, lost sight of, and party feelings are being brought to bear, in a most unwarrantable manner, in interference with the business which the body in question is elected to transact. The proceedings at its late meeting were of a rather unique character, and quite in consonance with what might have been expected sequentially upon a determination to ignore all law, and carry everything according to the inclination and the sweet wills of those who took part in it. Those members of the Council who were present at the last Council meeting should—had they been acting from a sense of public duty—have proceeded in a totally different manner towards a settlement of the difficulty which arose. Unfortunately, for the interests of the Borough, parties, apparently having antagonistic feelings, are being or have been formed, aod as far as we can see this sort of thing is existent on a most unhealthy basis, on personal grounds, and it likely to be detrimental to the people's interests. Municipal Corporation laws were not framed for such purposes, and the first introduction of such practices Bhould be stamped out. Apparently a majority of those who have been entrusted with responsibility have ignored the Borough solicitor's opinion, and after having been told that their action, or rather inaction, had, in effect, annulled all proceedings taken in connection with the annual elections, and even after receiving farther advice from a higher authority to the effect that they should commence proceedings de novo, they proceeded in an irregular course, knowingly following an illegal route, and

all in the hope—which we fear will prore a vain one—that their wrong will be righted by an action on tbefpart of a GrOYernmenfc whose instructions they have ignored, and after doing such an extraordinary thing as allowing that a man was elected to their body before a Tacancy for the seat he wa; supposed to represent had occurred. We can hardly attempt to conjecture what the upshot of this peculiar situation will be, but it is very discreditable to all those concerned, and is likely to lend little lustre to the local institution affected.