BOROUGH WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 190, 11 August 1921, Page 7

BOROUGH WORKS.

A DICTATORIAL LETTER.

DEVOSTPORT COUNCIL OBJECTS.

At last night's meeting of the Devonport Borough Council several members objected to a letter from the hon. secretary of the Cheltenham Ratepayers' ami Residents' Association stating that in the association's view the principle of the contract system was preferable to that of day labour for making the roads. The Mayor (Mr. H. S. W. King) moved that the letter be received, but withdrew his motion when Mr. R. T. Michaels moved that a reply be. sent stating that the council considered the council might be left to decide whether day labour or the contract system would be best. Mr. Michaels said he was prepared to resign if the ratepayers would not accept what he did. lie believed in ratepayers' associations, but a certain amount of decorum was due to the council. If they had no confidence in the council let them put in another council. He objected to anybody binding the council to any system. Mr. Eraser seeoonded.

Mr. E. H. Little thought the letter was quite in order and not dictatorial.

Mr. C 1.. Stevenson agreed with Mr. Michaels that the council did not wish to he dictated to by any portion of the ratepayers, but he thought people had a right to express their views.

Tn reply Mr. Michaels said it was not fair for people to pass such a resolution as contained in the letter without being in a position to go into the matter. They had no right to dictate to the council. He was not going to remain in the council and allow any body of men not connected with the council—he did not care which association it was—to dictate the work to be done till he had gone into the matter. It was very infra dig. for such a letter to be sent to the council.

Tho Mayor said he did not take the letter as dictation to the council. They could not prevent people sending along their opinions. The question whether these opinions were of value remained for the council, and his object in moving that the letter be received was simply to pass it over in that way. He did not value it.

•Mr. Stevenson: We do not want to stifle interest in borough affairs.

The Mayor: We do not want amateur engineers all over the borough.

The motion was approved by 8 votes to 3.