COMMIITTEE WORK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2519, 4 June 1909, Page 4

COMMIITTEE WORK.

One aspect of the Council’s delibeiations can only he viewed with dissatisfaction— namely, its action in discussing the sewerage proposals in committee. On many occasions w© have referred to the strange, disposition which local bodies in Gisborne have of excluding the press whenever anything of Vital importance to the public is to be discussed. Several reasons weie given on Tuesday night for going into committee, but none of them seem very weighty. Councillor Collins, who strenuously urged that jt was necessary for the Council to come to a unanimous decision in order to inspire confidence 'on the 1 part of the ratepayers, appeared to consider that this could not be brought about so well in open Council as in committee, but it was surely air unwarranted reflection upon the Councillors to consider that their attitude on such an important question would be affected simply because press representatives wore present. Another Councillor thought, tlm Council should go into committee in order that members should he .enabled to speak more, than once to a motion, hut this result can bo-achieved without tho exclusion of the press. Mo arc not, of course, officially cognisant, of what transpired in committee, hut wc should be surprised to learn that anything was said which s the public had not a right to hear. The only conceivable reason for conducting the business in camcia would have been tho fact that the personal qualifications of tho engineers concerned were to be made, the subject of discussion, hut there is no reason to suppose that this was done. Councillor

Clayton, who supported Councillor Darton to a certain degree in a protest against the. exclusion of the press, made a good point when he suggested that the particular,issues to he discussed in camera should bo clearly defined beforehand. Unfortunately he did not persist in this suggestion. The net result was that the public is left in almost entire ignorance of the motives which actuated the. Councillors in coming to the conclusion they did. It is true, as His Worship said, that there was nothing to prevent Councillors from saying anything they chose after the meeting returned to open Council, but the actual fact is that members of public bodies do not often take this course. As a member tof the Harbor Board His Worship has frequently availed himself of this right, hut there are few who are so persistent in deliberately addressing the public as he. What really liaiipened on Tuesday night was that Councillors said all they had to say in committee, and when they resumed in open Council they simply gave effect to resolutions, and after a few brief remarks adjourned. In committee they talked for fully an hour; in open Council for possibly “ten minutes. The public are left in “the dark as to why this important mat'ter .was dealt with in such a manner, 'and in drawing their own conclusions 'could scarcely be blamed if their deductions were erroneous and prejudicial ! ix> ‘•the .scheme that is favored by the Council.