LIVELY SCENES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 223, 21 September 1927, Page 13

LIVELY SCENES.

MT. ALBERT'S' TROUBLES.

MARCH OP RATEPAYERS.

BOROUGH CHAMBER VISITED.

DEPUTATION NOT RECEIVED.

Apathy in regard to their local affairs is a charge that could not be levelled on the ratepayers of Mount Albert Borough, there being a record attendance at the Jubilee Hal], King's Lane,, last evening, when the second of a series of indignation meetings was held as p. protest against the action of the Mount Albert Boroiigh Council in dismissing the borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) without making any charge against him.

A:queue of a size that would have gladdened the heart of a picture-show proprietor was formed outside the building half an hour before the time of commencement of the meeting, and when the doors were opened the hall was filled to capacity, hundreds being unable' to obtain admission. Mr. M. O'CaJlaghan presided, and at the; outset announced that it was proposed to have a short meeting, and then adjourn to Mount Albert Borough Council ; chamber, where a council meeting was being held. (Applause,) The speaker "took it that the councillors wotild at least have' the courtesy of coining out to say a few-words-to the meeting. f voice: By the back door. (Laugh-

Rumour Contradicted. The chairman said that he wished toj cpptradict a rumour that was being ' circulated. He wanted to say that Mr. ; Cook was a member of the Anglican faith. He Would Say no more; 1 tllat> would be sufficient. (Applause.) :Tha chairman said that the meeting wag-not called for the purpose of throwing' mud at the council,,'but to ask for ...,i afi explanation of the council's attitude . ;. towards Mr. Cook. < | British fair, play. , ' The chairman said that was thi position exactly. Themembersof the f eouncil who' had voted for Mr. Cook's dismissal reminded the speaker of little • worms in the garden—they got into committee, and there was no chance of them out of it. Mr. Cook was what the ,trouble was, ahd should be given a chance to. defend kjmself. (Applause.) - . • At Sfiß afe.the back suggested that an adrsnce guard should be sent to the eouncil chantber to see if the ratepayers, .could get.in. — - . Tha chairman suggested that they ?a!Mßa**srt!d 'a ' hundfed down'toteil them thit the Test were coming later. ! (Laughter.) ; v. : • f L& Toice: ,You. will Scare them. (More ihat 1 number of men who were.:>4|^|Miidr''„^^; : ;later,reinstated wSrepaidforthe time that they were ■ < wr' i.#asr a • qnesiloh asked. ... iMSvii' replied *' the . engineer. "The ■'jmiltf the. : wclk, 'or. te)i voice: Tha Jlayor . and councillors alight jto pay it out of their oWtf pocr *£ I > Explain or Sesign. After- carrying revolution asking the eouncil;to either give, a reason for the dismissal .of the engineer or reeign, Messrs.J. Purtell, J. Nixon, E.StephenfM and ]f. o*Callaghan %ere appointed asarfsputa tibn 'to trait upon'" the .V-iVV: ' "v adjourned 'the . mieiing .the Wg '-crowd filed out' and a.teited (in '■ this - form of » loose- proces - sichfor the couhcit chamber, about half Onxeachiag the building the staircase wfcr<':«oon packed, and «&e gathering, wfiehwas Estimated to conpriso a . tfesosud odd people;' overflowed across, Mftnuin road and into a aide-street. . ,f M Tha council wiir reeeivA one spokes • aMnronly." This was the meesage mnght to the door of the council cham- .. tMrtyjr tha Town Clerk.' r g .- ■ greeted tho intimation as it 1 ' waa pa>Sed C>i> to ( the crowdoutskle. . . intimation ton council i chamber *as that a deputation could . oafcr be received after due notification fV ; " tap''Seen given. •' ... ?IHrtjr dogs!'' said one lady, exploding Wjovwritli;- "What about pushing the. dooefia. W pM vDeputation Refused. Mr. <J. Purtell addressed the gatherlafc and , said that the council 'had t^ u Mcelv# tlve deputation. , "One^tw^threel" 4 '- 'began' the crowd, : unison. J . J»ld'' cheers' 'a • proposal ; that tlie: i should be invited to speak from 1 f- ' /t; i couneil has giren its decision and ? was the reply received , fN« "iniide" after a long. watt. ■ propoeal eonveyed to the « Wpcil was ehar it should receive a , •PB|ieSßi«n, accompanied by a repdr||^; * Jjw proposal on , being presented '-wis. declined. ' ■> . 'O'Callaghan auggeated, th»ii the deputation should approach the •council ;•.. » the ordinary way' at the • , Voices: Too late! .V -

A lady: We're standing here like a lot l o * 4 "* ("Hear, hear," and applause.) •'-•V! $ CalkctionTakentfp. ■ The gathering' wag not making head*. *ITi but -it was enjoying. itself j Jajmenaaly., . .. ™ - •. "ftlat about a' Collection?" waa tht :w,«q^tion.A couple of hata began to circulate emongat the crowd, ana a Jtw.on the oUtskirta began to hive off. ■«» announcementthat the collection wallaid, £5 0/1 was;' greeted "With apthueiaem. e MrUAy began a speech from the front and. amid laughter said that • the" ratepararahad only got what tSey voted wr.;.;. Her addreaa waa ao prolonged, and euch a multiplicity of subjects, that the crowd: got-reatleas. When interJtetfcma. began to flow ahe made a'aportiag offer that if they would let her apeak loranothar Ave minutes ahe would atop, •■a, carrying her point, eha went on, her i^bwpf,. jkjpr clever h »OgaitEl way, ot&enviM ther might have to retire in an undig- . Cbeera wire given for Mr. Cook, groans J* and councillors, and then tho »thering broke up into email