"BRITISH FAIR PLAY."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 211, 7 September 1927, Page 19

"BRITISH FAIR PLAY."

A MOUNT ALBERT PROMISE, coinrcn- meeting coixafses. ; DECLAIM NOT I2T TD£R. «This is a special meeting," said the jlayor (Mr. L. E. Rhodes) when the members of the Mount Albert Borough Council met last evening to discuss the position of the engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook), who has been asked to resign. "Are we in committee or not?" inquired Mr. J. H. Langley. «We are in open council at the. moment/ , replied the Mayor. (To the 1 councillors): Is it your wish to deal with it in open council? Mr. Langley said that personally he 1 ■would prefer to have the whole matter jn open council, but there were some things that should be dealt with in committee. The engineer could be present. There was nothing to hide, and they were prepared to have a fair investigatioo* Mr. W. Russell said that he was strongly opposed to it. If there was nothing to hide why not have it out in the open. It would be for the benefit of the borough and council to discuss the matter in open council after what had appeared in the Press. They did not want a stigma to be cast upon the borough. They should have the fullest details, and publish them. % A councillor: What is the difference between open council and committee. The Press will get hold of it. ' Mr. Langley: Yes, how did it get into the Press after we were in committee? Who is the responsible party? k Mr. Russell asked where the Town Gerk had got his information from to convey to the engineer, seeing that a decision made at a committee meeting jn connection with the engineer had not been confirmed by the counciL Councillor's Contention. The Mayor: It was quite in order. It was a meeting of the combined commit-

.tees. Mr. Sussell contended that the meeting was not in order; and he contended that the combined committees had no power to act. In support of his attitude he quoted one of the council's standing orders, and claimed that the necessary notice of the special meeting had not been given. The Mayor said that the meeting was in order. Mr. Russell said that a special meeting lad to be called by notice in writing. '■ ; The Mayor: Oh, no! Mr. Russell: I am reading from our standing orders, and if you are going: to override them they are not worth having. Who called this meeting? Mr. Buckley said the motion'' was earned to hold the present meeting. The Mayor said tike meeting was in torder, as the Municipal Corporations Act .over-rode standing laws. While the town clerk was away locating a copy of the Act Mr. Russell remarked that there had not been British fair play. Mr. Langley said that it was not British fair play' for somebody to go to Edendale terminus and "spout" about money being wasted. He would be ashamed to be associated with that sort of thing. Never in His Experience. When the Act was produced the" Mayor perused it and Bald that it appeared that two days , clear notice of tiie meeting had to be given in writing.. It has never been done in my experience as a councillor or Mayor," ke added, "but apparently we cannct told this meeting." ■ ' ■ "If this is your ruling we must abide ly it," said Mr: P. Floyd. "We are British. We will get the resolution put in proper form." Mr. Langley said he took it that the resolution could be signed by two other jnembers to bring it into order. The Mayor said that it was correct *hat Mr. Bussell had stated, therefore the meeting had not been properly tailed. It would be'properly called in accordance with the standing orders. Mr Russell: Before closing? The Mayor: There is nothing to jkee. The whole thing is off. "Anoint of order," said one of the eouncillors. The Mayor (leaving the dhair): This meeting is dosed. You can talk as nraca as you like. I should not say it B dosed; it has never been on. There » a committee meeting at 7.3o—Legal and Finance. To fill in the time some of the conn«Blora lit their pipes and one small group **8 soon in the midst of an animated discussion on the progress of Mt. Albert.