BAYSWATER RATEPAYERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 206, 29 August 1918, Page 9

BAYSWATER RATEPAYERS.

FRICTION" WITH COLa t CIL. At the mooting of the Takapuna Borough Council held last evening, a list of questions was received from the Belraont and Bayewater Ratepayers' Association, which asked that game be answered at a public meeting. The Mayor, Mr. W. Blomfield, said when a promise was made to the Bayswater Ratepayers' Association that questions would be answered at a public meeting, the Council never contemplated euch an inquisi-| torial array of questions as was placed j before the Council that evening. What the Association, a very small portion ot Takapuna, demanded was really a Royal Commission, and the questions asked would really extend beyond the scope ot an ordinnry commission. The latter portion, dealing with the engineer, was simply an attack upon Mr. Lockic Gannon, engineer, and distinctly personal, and it was the Council's duty to protect its officials. Any mistakes or errors they may make are dealt with by the Council, which took all reeponstoility for its actions. Councillor Hiss said lie agreed that the questions asked were well beyond *¥he scope of rcuson, and "would enta.il tlic employing of considerable labour to get the material required. He deprecated the attack on the engineer, and suggested that the Town Clerk should, at the earliest possible period, get all the information asked for that is available without greatly disorganising the office work, and submit the same to the Council in committee to deal with. Councillor Ininean stated that the weight of questions asked and their absurd demands defeated the evident object of the Association, as it would be almost impossible in ordinary lime to answer many, and others were of such a character that the Council could not, with respect to iteelf, answer. He agreed with Councillor Biss to refer the question to the Council-in-Committee after the Town Clerk had obtained as much data in answer to the questions %s could be gathered in a reasonable time. He moved in that direction. Councillor Biss seconded the motion, andj it was carried unanimously. j