"KEY" POSITIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 115, 17 May 1935, Page 9

"KEY" POSITIONS

CITY COUNCIL.

LABOUR IN CONTROL.

MR. MARTIN DEPUTY-MAYOR.

KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST.

The preponderance of Labour representation on the City Council was speedily made manifest at the first meeting last evening, when the "key" positions of deputy-Mayor and chairman of committees, with one exception, were allotted to Labour nominees. An outline of the Labour attitude toward council nominations was given by Mr. Bernard Martin, who was selected as deputy-Mayor. He declared that to carry out Labour's ambitions it was necessary for them to held key positions on the council.

The keen public interest taken in the inaugural meeting of the council was shown by the large attendance. The public gallery, which holds only about 50 persons, was filled before the meeting opened, as was the row of seats immediately behind the council. Never before had members of the public been allowed to fill the body of the chamber, but 40 minutes after proceedings had started, Mr. E. J. Phelan drew the Mayor's attention to the fact that there were quite a number of spectators in the corridors of the Town Hall who had been unable to gain admittance, and he suggested that they should be given accommodation. To this the Mayor readily agreed, and another 00 men and women were admitted to the council floor and took up positions immediately behind the council members. To give additional accommodation representatives of the Press vacated their seats and took up new positions between the mayoral chair and the councillors. An hour later Mr. J. Sayegh mentioned there were still some people in the corridors, and another score were admitted to the already crowded chamber. To judge by the applause which greeted Labour members' remarks later in the meeting it was obvious that almost the total number of spectators were Labour sympathisers. Mayor Congratulates Mr. Martin. The first indication of Labour's determination to assert its majority power was given when the appointment of deputy-Mayor came up for consideration, but last niirht the nomination came from Mr. E. J. Phelan, who was occupying the scat on the Mayor's right, where Mr. A. J. Entrican, the late deputyMayor, had sat for many years.

Mr. Phelan moved that Mr. Martin be appointed as Mr. Davis' deputy. "I have no compunction in putting forward Mr. Martin for the position," declared Mr. Phelan. "He has had considerable experience in public life, and has all •the qualifications for the job. I have no hesitation in recommending him." The proposal was seconded by Mr. J. S. Stewart, and there was no further nomination. After the resolution appointing Mr. Martin had been carried unanimously, the Mayor conveyed his hearty congratulations to Mr. Martin. "I feel you will be of great assistance to me, and it will be my pleasure to lean heavily on you," he said. Mr. Martin thanked the council and tho Mayor, and assured them that he would do all that he could in the interests of the council and the city ot Auckland.

Personnel of Committees. The next business before the council was the election of the various committees. A list of these was tabled, and it was seen that the chairman of every committee proposed, with the exception of the finance committee, was tt Labour representative. Every committee was proposed by Mr. Phelanwho acted as Labour spokesman throughout the evening.

Mr. Burton Displaced. When he proposed the personnel of the first committee, the works committee, Mr. Phelan explained that the uty's desire was to monopolise the Ley positions throughout the council. The rartv had given considerable time all pWcufar thought to the selection of committees, having regard to the benefit of the city as a whole. lie retiring councillors had given good service to the city, but the people haj shown that they were desirous of a complete change. Mr H P Burton, who was chairman of the works committee in council, congratulated Mr. Phelan on his frankness. It was the first time the history of the council that sue an attitude had been taken. He had occupied the position for the past four years, and any experience he had gained would bo at the disposal of the new chairman, Mr. A. Rosser. "I am sport enough to recognise just w le,e w ° stand," he concluded, "and sport enough to do anything in the interests of the city." ' . ~ Miss Ellen Melville said that the present procedure was new. Dor tnt period she had been on the council it had always been the prerogative ot the Mayor to nominate the chairmen and suggest the personnel of committees. 1 an? extremely sorry to see party brought into this chamber, she said. There had never been party In tne chamber before. , "I must express my resentment at Mis* Melville's statement," declared Mr. Stewart. . . , Mr. L. J. Coakley said that it .seemed strange In looking down the list to see the chairmen all changed*. "I do not think we have had a fair go," he added.

" Here As Political Party." Mr. Martin asserted that Miss Melville and Mr. Coakley were talking with their tongues in their cheeks. lney knew that the Labour party went before the public us a political party, and they were not ignorant of the position. We are definitely here as members of a political party, and it is our intention to represent that party while we are here." he said. "'!hat is why they sent us here, and whilo we are bore wo will represent that political party." This remark drew applause from the gallery and caused the Mayor to remark that 'the spectators must show their respect for the council by refraining from applause. Mr. A. Rosser said that he would not have spoken only for the fact that during the term of the last co-.incil he had been brought to book by the previous Mayor, who had said there was no political party in the council. He had bowed to llm't opiyion. "We were sent hero as a Labour council," he. declared.

"Wo have received a mandate from the majority of the people." He added that he hoped the council would be a happy family in the future as in the past and would forget its differences.

Independent's Comment. Speaking as "the only elected independent member of the council," the Hor. T. Bloodworth, M.L.0., reviewed the present position. He said that it had been claimed that it was the first tfme that party had been brought into the council. He recalled that once when he had topped the poll, Mr. Phelan had been elected with him. Mr. Phelan had done him the honour of nominating him as deputy-Mayor, but had failed to get a seconder. It was not fair to say, however, that when the other side occupied the dominant position they did not recognise the opposition. He recalled that when he was defeated by Mr. G. Baildon for the mayoralty and elected to the council, he had been offered the chairmanship of the town planning committee. That he considered a graceful act. "I still speak as a member of the Labour party, but I regret to see members of the party now holding the position which I have always hoped to see them occupy not courteous enough to offer some of the positions of chairmen to those who in the past so efficiently tilled them," he concluded. He had always endeavoured to serve the city of Auckland, and would support measures which he thought right, irrespective of what part of the chamber they came from.

When Mr. Bloodworth resumed his seat there was silence, which was only broken when the Mayor rose to interpose a remark that he was strictly neutral. "I have no party," he declared.

Mr. Sayegh Declines Nomination. The next committee was tho parks and reserves committee, in which Mr. J. Sayegh's name had been included. When Mr. Phelan had moved that the committee bo appointed Mr. Sayegh unexpectedly rose and asked that his name be deleted, not only from that committee, but also from the public service and legal and by-laws committees, the three committees for which he had been proposed. Mr. Phelan: Do you want a holiday? "I have my own reasons. I have got to say quite candidly that everything in the garden is not lovely/' replied Mr. Sayegh. The Mayor suggested that the procedure was for Mr. Sayegh to allow his name to remain among the nominations and to resign from the committees subsequently. The committee as moved was appointed.

The proposed chairman of the librarycommittee was Mr. J. W. Yarnall, but Mr. Burton proposed that Miss ?>*!- ville's name should be substituted as chairman. "It is interesting to hear from those people who say they have come with a. mandate from the people that they have come as a political machine," said Mr. Burton. He regretted to hear such a statement, for he° considered himself just as good a Labour man as anybody there. The council was representative of the whole community and it would have been the sensible and courteous thing if those responsible for the nomination of the committees had recognised the minority. Miss Melville had given wonderful service to the library committee, and he hoped that her fitness would be recognised even at that late hour.

The amendment was seconded by Mr. Coakley. He hoped Mr. Phelan would be generous enough to withdraw his motion that Mr. Yarnall should be chairman of the committee. Mr. F. B. Lark then made his first contribution to the evening's proceedings, and said he hoped that Mr. Phelan would not withdraw. "All are on the council to serve, and I am not personally concerned who is chairman, but in my view Mr. Yarnall is just as fit for the position as anyone else," he declared.

Plans to Carry Out. "So far as we are concerned we are not expressing any animosty against Miss .Melville at all," said Mr. Martin. "I agree with the expressions of approval of what she has done. It is just as well to state the position clearly Personally I want everyone to understand where I stand on the council The chairmen of committees do hole the key positions as far as the council is concerned. We have certain plans and hope to carry them out. In order to do so it is necessary for us to have our representatives as chairmen ot committees." As Labour held a majority on the council it was necessary that they should have their representatives as chairmen of committees to carry out their plans. They were doing What they thought right from their point of view. When nominations were received rot the finance committee, for which the Mayor was proposed as chairman, the other members being the chairmen of the various other committees, as customary, Miss Melville proposed that M, Burton and Mr. Coakley as old members should be added, on account that he did not wish'to be on the committee and in urn moved that Miss Melville should be a ,Minted This motion was seconded 1 Jj. Donald, but when put to the council was declared "lost on the voices. V Bloodworth hissed on division, W oniv six members voted for it, namely, Sir George Richardson, Messrs Bloodworth. C«»W. Bur ton ' Donald and Miss Melville.

Mayor's Honorarium. Prior to the election of the deputyMiyor and the cbairmen of committees he town clerk reported that it was necessary for the council to fix the Mavbr's honorarium for his teim oi office and added for the councils formation that for manr years pa the amount fixed had been £500 pel annum. Miss Melville moved that the honorarium should remain on tte« scale. The motion was carried without discussion.