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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2505, 19 May 1909, Page 4

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL. Whilst one may admire tho enthusiasm which induces members of tho Gisborne Borough Council to sit until nearly three o’clock in tho morning, we frankly, express our sympathy with ihe Councillor who declined to remain after 12.30 p.m. It is indeed regrettable that important business should be transacted at such unseemly hours, and after making due allowance for the anxiety of new Councillors to justify

the pledges made to their constituents and “get something done,” it must still be admitted that such long-drawn-out meetings are of little value either to the Councillors or the community they are supposed to represent. The

act of tho matter is events are trend-

ing in the direction which we feared was inevitable if Mr. W. D. Lysnnr remained in tho Mayoral chair, and instead of the much-sought harmony, there has been strong sectional feeling displayed already at Council meetings.

Instbead of tact fully curbing" the exuberance of new members who insist upon debating in full tho most trivial subjects, His Worship himself adds his quota, with tho result that hour after hour is wasted in almost fruitless discussions. Moreover, the Mayor’s constant disposition to attempt to 'dominate tho various issues by using liis casting vote—as often as not in an uncon-

stitutional manner—inevitably makes for discord. A really capable chairman uses his casting vote as rarely as possible, but the Mayor of Gisborne seems to glory in the exercise of this special power. The outcome of all this at last

night’s meeting was that after midnight had been passed the Council was still sitting, and the important subject of the Patutahi tramway had not been touched. To tackle this question at

such an hour would under ordinary cir r cumstances have been an act of madness, but Cr. Collins, who was in charge of the motion dealing with the matter, explained that because of the necessity of tho County Council taking a poll within a week’s tirno tho Borough Council’s intentions must he known promptly. Inquiry showed that it would bo difficult to ensure a full attendance of tho Council any other night during the present week, and under tho circumstances it was decided to go on, although Councillor Kirk had already entered an entirely justifiable protest by withdrawing from tho meeting. In our opinion Councillor Collins and those who supported him acted unwisely in thus forcing the position to an immediate issue, though the pn-oblem was undoubtedly a difficult one. An assurance was given that speakers would bo brief, but having committed tho error of sitting so late, due credit must be given the Councillors for threshing out in a most thorough manner the pros and cons of a subject that needed a full discussion. The result was precisely what we anticipated it would be, and the now Council endorsed by a substantial majority the eminently wise bargain which had been entered into by its predecessors. Tho abattoir question was handled in a manner that was far from satisfactory, and it is to be hoped that the Mayor will see the wisdom of postponing any further action therein until Councillors have had an opportunity to review the position as regards management, which was quite unexpectedly rushed upon them last night. Wo would trust, also, that in some way an agreement will be come to between Mayor and Councillors whereby the affairs of the borough will be conducted in an amicable and busi-ness-like manner, so that the undesirable record established last evening will never be approached in the future.