MATTER OF PUBLICITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 3

MATTER OF PUBLICITY.

SOMETIMES INADVISABLE.

TRAXSPOBT BOAHD AFFAIES.

When the standing orders of th" newly-funned Auckland Transport Board eamc up for confirmation at yesterday's meeting, a pro|<osal by Mr. F. fc Morton to admit the Press to all ooiu mil tee meetings wa* thrown, out, and .» motion by Mr. E. H. Potter requiring the reporting to the board of all coimuii t<*e decisions, including a record of Unvoting on the various motions, met witli a similar fate.

Messrs. Morton, Potter and E. ' .J i'lu-lan supported the proposal to makr <-<>iiiinittee meetings open to the Prt-S Hi<*ir contention Has that there ma* little or nothing that could not be takcii a* in open meeting. The chairman ('Mr. J. A. C Allow pointed out that the board at prescn' had power to admit the Press if it wa.t iiuught desirable, but there were ccj tflin times when premature publicity «aa inadvisable—such, for insttm* when property was being acquired r.very business man would anpreciu: the point that in running a business .t «as not always advisable to discu— publicly what was being done until the business was completed. * . . Mr. M. J. Coyle deprecated any *u«* gestions of unfairness and the creation of feelings of suspicion. Mr. Potter assured the meeting that there was nothing personal; all that was wanted was to get the fuller publicity.

The motion was rejected, those votinPbein MPSSrS Mortt ' n « Polter «"!

Mr. Morton then moved U. delete Hi•• stand.ng order giving the chairman power to fine *ny member d'v«|.n,,.. anv.h.... , !iat ,„ txnn „,~ u ~ but lb, ..as also lost.