THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3198, 20 April 1911, Page 4

THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.

AN INTERCHANGE OF OPINIONS.

COMPLIMENTS ALL HOUND

Last night’s meeting of the Borough Council was the last to be held_ by the present Council, and commencing at 7.30 p.m. it did not terminate until half an hour after midnight, although comparatively little reali business was done. A great deal of time was taken up in more or loss acrimonious discussion with nothing in particular before the Council, and frequently almost every member of the Council was endeavoring to make himself heard above the din- caused by the raised voices of his fellow-Councillprs. . When the ordinary business of the meeting had been concluded, the Mayor asked if there was any extraordinary business.

Cr. Collins: This is enr last meeting, sir. Some of us may not be back here again. What about you saying something nice of the Councillors who have helped you through the year. The Mayor: I think you will probably agree with me, if "ou think, that the least said''on the subject the better. Cr. Colilns: We would like to hear you, sir. Cr. Clayton : Hear, hear I The Mayor said that he was never one to get up and say something that ho did not mean., and he could not honestly get up and say what they evidently wanted him to say: that the Council had worked with him and in the best interests of the Borough. Cr. Sheridan: You will remember, sir, that you have said the same thing to two other Councils at the end of their terms of office.

Cr. Pettie: Will you ever, do yeu think, get a Council to work with you. The Mayor: I hope so. Continuing, the Mayor said that, owing to- the attitude taken iip by a majority of the Council, the interests of the ratepayers had suffered considcrablv. and double and treble work had been thrown on his shoulders in consequence. There were however, some members who had done good work, and he had to return thanks to Crs. Harris, Hepburn and Maynard. Ur. Barton: What about Clayton and me? The Mayor: As I said before, the least said on 1 —e subject the better, but if you want to know, 1 think that you, Or" Darton, are the worst Councillor at the table, and Cr Clayton is next. It is a toss-up between two or three more of you. Ur. Clayton said that he sincerely thanked Heaven that the occasion was the last one on which he would sit at the Council table under the Mayor. Ihe Mayor had said that the Council had not worked”vitli him, and he (Cr. ! a vDon) agreed, as he held that no 6elf-respectmg Council could work with such a Mayor. The _ Council could, however, work harmoniously together, as was proved while the Mayor was away in London. Alter Or. U.Rvton had spoken further on the subject, Cr. Darton said that the remarks passed about him by the Mayor he considered to be the highest compliment ever paid him. Continuing, Cr. .a; ton referred at length to the attitude of the Mayor towards the engineer, remarking that the Mayor had only taken. urT the stand he did whsn he .found that he could not mould the engineer as he wished. Cr. Sheridan said that he much regretted that the discussion had arisen. He however, could onlv deeply deplore the fact of the Mayor having seen fit to make use of such remarks as he had in regard to councillors. He (Cr. Sheridan) affirmed that for anyone holding such a high and supposedly honourable office as that of Mayor to make use of such remarks was degrading m the extreme, not alone to himself, but to the position he occupied. Cr. Collins also deplored the Mayor's remarks, and said that he felt- convinced that each and every councillor had eneavoured to conscientiously do his duty to the ratepayers. He hoped with all sincerity that if te Mayor were returned to the Mayoral chair that die (Cr. Collins) would not sit under him, and he could only say that if ever he had the voting power of the Council at his back —as he once had——he would do all in liis power to upset the Mayor’s political position. C-r. Pettie said that both the praise and blame bestowed by the Mayor were in equally , bad taste, and he was sorry that 'the* Mayor had seen fit to lower himself by using such terms. He was quite content to let liis actions be judged by the ratepayers, and it was quite immaterial to him what the Mayor thought of him. Cr. Harris also spoke at length, severely criticising the actions of several of the councillors. While he was speaking he was subjected to a running fire c ! f interjections, at times making his remarks quite inaudible. The Mayor also replied, pointing out that Cr. Collins’ final words appeared to have been the keynote of many of the councillors. He also pointed out that the discussion which had arisen had not been sought by him. The discussion terminated abruptly about. 12.30 a.m., amidst some slight disorder.