Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 31 March 1893, page 6


METROPOLITAN TRAFFIC BOARD

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT.

A special meeting of the Metropolitan Traffic Board was held in the offices, Courier Building, yesterday afternoon. There were present Mr. Burke (the retiring president), in the chair, Aldermen Clark, Hipwood, Thorne, and Francis, and Messrs. J. S. Mullin and J. B. Dickson, jun.

The CiuniMAx announced that the business before the meeting was the election of a president for the ensuing year, no then moved," That Alderman Francis be appointed President, and Mr. FRANCIS seconded the motion.

Mr. MULLIN moved as an amendment," That Alderman Clark is president." In doing so, he said that as a member of the board he intended to go in for economy. The manner in which the board had been conducted since its formation was a disgrace to local government, and the sooner reform was brought

about the better.

Tho'CiiAuiMAN asked Mr. Mullin to confine himself to the question before the meeting, and Mr. MULLIN replied that that was exactly what he was doing. The CHAIRMAN thereupon ruled Mr. Mullin out of order, informing him that he would have an opportunity at an ordinary meeting to discuss the affairs of the board generally.

After some further altercation between the chairman and Mr. MULLIN, the latter stated that in the past the business of the board had not been conducted, in a manner to give satisfaction to the districts outside the municipality who came within the jurisdiction of the board. He intended to do his best to get fair representation on the board for these districts, and to go in for economy. Alderman Clark was the best man they could get for the position of president. He believed that the president

would have to accept a great deal less ! " screw" than the last president received, and that some of the officers of the board would also have to be content with loss money. The ? looal'iiuthorlties had been compelled to econo- ! mise, and he saw no reason why economy should not be gone in for on the Traffic Board. I Mr. Tuonxis seconded the amendment.

The CHAIRMAN stated that, in accordance with the regulations, he would now proceed to put the motion first.

Mr. MULLIN interposed that that would be a rather' strange proceeding. The amendment was usually placed first.

The CHAIRMAN refused to hear Mr. Mullin further.

Mr. Cum: stated that he had had two years' experience on the board. On all previous occasions he had seen the president elected unanimously

when the secretary was in the chair. According to the Local Government Act, when a motion and an amendment were before a meeting, the amendment had to be voted upon

before the motion.

The CHAIRMAN said that he was acting in accordance with the by-laws.

Mr. MULLIN moved as a further amendment, " That the secretary take the chair."

The On AIRMAN said he would refuse to put

the amendment.

Mr. CLARK stated that the amendment must be got rid of before the motion could be touched. He asked the chairman to give some reason for putting the motion first.

The CHAIRMAN again explained that he was acting in accordance with the by-laws.

Mr. THORNE threatened to move that the chairman's ruling be not adhered to.

The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Hipwood" opinion on the matter of the motion and the amendment,

and Mr. Hipwood replied that he considered that the question was the amendment. The chairman said he did not read the by-law in that way, and Mr. Hipwood added that it certainly appeared from the by-law that the

motion should be put first.

Mr. CLARK was of opinion that the chairman should adopt the views of the majority of the

members.

Mr. W. STEPHENS (who was present as a spec-tator) wished to say a few words, but the chairman objected to his taking any part in the proceedings. Mr. Stephens advised the chairman to put the amendment before the motion.

The CHAIRMAN said that the board had decided that he should do a certain thing, which he did not consider was the right thing to do. He hoped the secretary would take note of that. His hand had been forced in the matter. What he was asked to do was against the ruins which governed the work of the board, but as the majority willed it, he would proceed to put

the amendment.

A division was then taken, with the result that all the members with the exception of the chairman and Mr. Francis voted for the amendment, the voting being 5 to 2.

The CHAIRMAN did not declare the amendment carried, but moved as a further amendment that Alderman Hipwood be president.

Mr. MULLIN contended that the amendment having been carried, Mr. Clark had been elected president t

The CHAIRMAN said that he had a perfect right to submit the amendment. A somewhat similar course had been followed in at least two previous years.

Mr. MULLIN again contended that the board had elected Mr. Clark as their president.

Mr. HIPWOOD advised Mr (Burke to vacate the chair and allow Mr. Mullin to take his place.

Mr. CLARK reminded the chairman that the voting was 5 to 2, and that he had not made any declaration respecting it.

Mr. MULLIN did not want to use strong language, but he considered that the chairman had acted in a very strange way.

The CHAIRMAN then declared the amendment carried.

Mr. MULLIN was proceeding to make further remarks when he was interrupted by the chairman, who interjeotod-'othat if, Mr. Mullin insulted him after they left the room, he (Mr. Mullin) would have cause to remember it, a remark which Mr. Mullin followed up by saying that he would not be afraid to meet Mr Burke in Queen-street, or in any backyard he chose to specify. He (Mr. Mullin) was a gentleman, and that was more than Mr. Burke

was.

The amendment was then submitted as a substantive motion, and carried unanimously.

The CHAIRMAN thought it was a pity that Mr. Mullin, who pretended to know such a great deal about local government, did not know how to conduct himself. ; Mr.

MULLIN hoped the chairman would allow him to make an apology. He might have used strong language but he had not meant what he said. He and the chairman had always been good friends.

The CHAIRMAN said it was, matter of the greatest indifference to him whether Mr Mullin was or was not his friend.

Mr. CLARK then took the chair, and having returned thanks for his election, the proceed ings terminated.