The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1909. THE MAYOR AS A DEMOCRAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2675, 3 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3,1909. THE MAYOR AS A DEMOCRAT.

At last meeting of the Borough Council, Councillor Da r ton asked 'the Alayor wliat attitude he would take up in regard to the loan proposals it at . the meeting of ratepayers to be held next week the majority of the audience expressed the opinion that the various proposals should be submitted separately. K,s AYorship replied that he would be largely guided by that meeting provided it was a “fair and square one.” The councillor persisted in his demand for something more definite, whereupon His Worship added : “If the public came forward to that meeting, and, with proper argument, and proper reasoning, showed me that we ought to separate the proposals, then I should certainly exercise my discretion in that direction, and would refer the matter back to the Council.” • Still unsatisfied Councillor Dait'uv a.sked the' Alayor to state plainly whether he w oil Id accept a majority vote of legitimate ratepayers at thatmeeting as a mandate to he acted upon. To this His AYorship replied that he would not be guided absolutely by the vote. Naturally Councillor Darton ceased his queries at this point. With His AYorship as the sole judge of the legitimacy of arguments brought .forth and his own statement that he would not allow his actions to be affected by a vote of the ratepayers at a public meeting one may well doubt the utility of holding the meeting at all.