"NINE TO ONE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 228, 26 September 1930, Page 8

"NINE TO ONE."

MAYOR PLAYING LONE HAND, RAETIHI BOROUGH DISPUTES. RESIGNATION POSTPONED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) RAETIHI, Thursday. . The Mayor of Raetihi, Mr. H. W. Littlewood, informed the ratepayers at a meeting last evening that the opposition he was meeting on the borough council was too much for him. Mr. Littlewood was elected at a byelection last November, . beating the deputy-mayor at the poll. Last evening he said his election was not_ popular with the council and he found himself singlehanded. The odds against him were too much, being nine to one. Sometimes lie was the only one in favour of proposals he brought forward. On one occasion a councillor seconded his motion but only pro forma, and voted against it. He had 1 made up his mind to call the electors together and deal with the municipal affairs and then hand in-his resignation, but his friends advised him not to cause the borough to have another election, but to remain in office till the election in April. This he had decided to do. Mr. Littlewood criticised the conduct of the council with regard to the electrical system. He disagreed with the council on the question of making a special depreciation fund. The plant that had cost £39,000 was worth only about £20,000. He had a report prepared showing the need of improvements costing several hundred pounds, but the council turned it down on the score of expense. He objected to the council instructing the borough solicitor to sue and follow up for rates for the year 1927-28, which would irrecoverable. The town clerk should issue the summons and he was prepared to attend the Court and take judgment. That would save pense. Every case of a defaulting ratepayer should be considered by the council. There was a sum of £4000 outstanding for rates, but 135 ratepayers owed that money. He considered the library ' management committee should hand over their property to the borough council. He urged electors to form an association to look after borough matters. The last council was elected unopposed, and ho contended that electors should not permit such a thing..

In answer to questions at the close of his address the Mayor said that he had privileges above those of the council and he did not think he had abused them. He was within those privileges in writing to the adviser of the Municipal Association on a subject upon which the council had decided to get his opinion. He paid a tribute to the efficiency of the staff, and announced that the receipts this year were well ahead of the estimate. On the motion of Mr. A. W. Ashwell, chairman of the electricity committee of the council, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Mayor for his address. The motion was seconded by Mr. L. Baird, another member of the same committee. On the request of the Mayor a hearty vote of thanks was given the deputyMayor, Mr. W. Harris, for presiding.