Iris not a very easy tusk to strike a just balance between the arguments of those who advocate the admission of reporters to the weekly Council meet. ings and of those who consider that auch a step would be prejudicial to the despatch of business, Tue proposal is, we believe, repugnant to the Coun. cillors themselves, who Lave no wish lo acquire n reputation for oratory, and still less to have confidential discassions, in which sharp differences of opinion are not improbably a feature, published to the world at large. In fuct it is jast those very considerations which render Oouucillors hostile to the innovation that are of most weight with those of the public who are anxious for it to be made, There can be no doubt that the parallel sometimes drawn between the Council meetings and the deliberations of Parliament is insoourate. It la far more correct to cou pare the former with the meetings of Cabinet Ministers, who have to give an account of their actions to Parlias ment, here represented by a body of ratepayers which assembles only once ayer, And the extreme infrequency with which the Rutepayors' meetings are held certainly gives some colour of fairness to the demand occasion. ally made for the presence of ree porters at the weekly consultations of the Council Numberless quostions arise, or are liable to arise, at these private conclaves in which the public Lave a by no us unline portant stake. Public spirit is an ex. cellent thing, and in 60 far as publio spirit, pure and simple, animates the Councillors in fulfilling the duties of their position, they are deserving of much confidence, But it would be absurd to say that particular intereste have no weight in individual oases. Yenr after year we see the same houses represented on the Municipal Council, The resident partner, or one of the ree sident partners, of such-and-such a firm appears to have a prescriptive right to a sent, and when be goes Lame his place taken by his successor. This is me variably trae of at least three of the lending mercantile establishments, frequently true of others,. The
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.