REMNANT CARRY ON.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 10

REMNANT CARRY ON.

AVONDALE BOROUGH COUNCILS BUSINESS AS TTKTTAT. UNDER LEGAL ADVICE.

The ordinary meeting of the Avondale Borough Council, adjourned from Wednesday evening, was resumed yesterday evening. There were present Messrs. Clarke, Potter, Wright and Kealy. Mr. Clarke, who was appointed chairman, explained that he had that day obtained a legal opinion as to the position of the remaining councillors. In the first place, he stated that the Mayor and councillors who had resigned went out of office forthwith. A statement that appeared in the Press, that they held office until their successors were elected, wa<> not correct. The remaining councillors must carry on, and had power to transact the ordinary business of the borough. No special or important business could be dealt with until a quorum was obtained. Wages must however be paid, and arrangements had been made with the council's bankers to honour cheques drawn for wages, signed by two councillors and the treasurer. The bankers had, however, requested that the councillors remaining give a joint and several guarantee that such cheques drawn for wages would be authenticated by a resolution of the council at a subsequent meeting legally held and constituted. That guarantee had been given. It was also necessary to receive from each workman to whom wages were paid a written undertaking to assign to the councillors responsible foe the payment of such wages his interest in the wages duo to him from the borough council. Mr. Clarke contradicted the rumour that the amalgamation of Avondale with Auckland city would date from March 31. No date had been fixed or even suggested. In all probability the amalgamation would be brought into effcct at a much earlier date. Correspondence left over from the previous meeting was read and received, but all matters of importance were deferred till a further meeting could be obtained. It was decided not to authorise the commencing of any new works but to continue with the works already in hand, keeping the wages bill down to the minimum.