"NO FURTHER ACTION."

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 171, 22 July 1931, Page 10

"NO FURTHER ACTION."

MOUNT ALBERT DISPUTE. DEMAND FOR REFUNDS. , WILL NOT BE PRESSED. The dispute between the ex-Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr. L. E. Rhodes, the Auditor-General and the Borough Council regarding the removal oi a house in Commercial Road closed last evening, on the motion of the Mayor, Mr. W. F. Stilwell. In a further letter Mr. Rhodes stated that it seemed that he could" do nothing more except to state that the remarks in his previous letter were correct. He felt very strongly that the matter should have been taken up by the AuditorGeneral, as he had acted in what he considered to be the best interests of the borough. The Auditor-General, in a letter, pointed out that the facts of the matter as placed before the council in his letter of June 25 differed from his reply in January, which was in the hands of the Audit Office when the question of Mr. Rhodes' legal position as Mayor was under consideration. In his reply to the Morningside Ratepayers' Association Mr. Rhodes had stated that the men employed on the work of shifting the house were lent to the council and that the plant was hired to the council'at the ordinary rates. The Auditor-General further pointed out that in the joint report of the town clerk and the borough engineer on the matter there was a statement that the work was carried out at cost. The Audit Office was aware that Mr. Rhodes acted in good faith, but the previous decision could not be altered. The Audit Office, however, did not wish to press for a refund of the money paid to the men or for the hire of the plant. The Mayor moved that, in view of the two letters, the matter be closed. This course was agreed to by the council. Later in the meeting a letter from the Morningside Ratepayers' Association was read, demanding that the council take the action required to obtain reparation of the money paid to the men and for the hire of the plant, and that Mr. Rhodes be asked to refund the honorarium paid to him during the period of his The association stated that the matter had been before the council for eight months, and hoped that the present council would not adopt the procrastinating methods of the previous one. Mr. Stilwell moved that, in view of the Auditor-General's letter, the council would not take the action suggested, and that they would not ask for a refund of the honorarium. The Mayor stated that the Audit Office did not desire the council to proceed with the latter point. The motion was carried.