Councillors baulked at the price tag on the Emilio Zuccani crafted table that was almost certainly belonged to Samuel Clift, a pivotal man in the development of Maitland.

“I agree with the body of the report and I don’t think it fits council’s role to buy the table,” Cr Bob Geoghegan said at last night’s council meeting.

The dining suite was recently discovered by the Maitland City Heritage Group member Andrew Coates in a Southern Highlands antique shop.

Mr Coates approached council and asked that it buy the dining suite only to have the tables turned on him last night.

“I have made some enquiries,” Cr Geoghegan said. “I don’t believe there is anything stopping the Maitland City Heritage Group from conducting a fund-raiser to purchase it themselves.”

Mr Clift was a member of a large family of influential pastoralists in the northern districts of NSW.