DUAL OFFICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 216, 12 September 1935, Page 10

DUAL OFFICE.

MAYOR AND M.P.

GISBORNE COMPLICATIONS

APPOINTMENT OF A DEPUTY.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

GISBORNE. this day

Complications arising from a public man holding the dual office of member of Parliament and Mayor of a borough were ventilated at a meeting of the Gisborno Borough Council when the former deputy-Mayor, Mr. H.' E. Maude, declined to accept nomination, and another previous deputy-Mayor, Mr. H. 11. de Costa, agreed to accept the position only on condition that the Mayor paid him £3 a week while actingl

The Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, explained that he had intended to raise the position of his deputy at-the previous meeting but the matter had been overlooked, and he now asked the council to di>cnss the position. T

After Mr. H. Holmes and Mr. Maude had declined nomination, Mr. de Costa was proposed. He said he would accept the position willingly, but only on the condition which the Mayor already knew. That one condition Was that he he allowed by the Mayor £3 a week ■while the Mayor was in Wellington. "If I do not spend that £3 a week," Mr. tie Costa raid, "I will be willing to give the difference back to his Worship. If I take on the job I would like to have a little money to do it properly. If his "Worship comes to my terms I will accept."' fe

The Mayor: I do not agree with that. My travelling lip and down will take all that. I do not see that the deputy* Mayor has to put his hands into his pockets, for all requests for donations etill come to tlie ■Mayor. There is no reason why tlie deputy-Mayor has to spend any of'his money because he is deputy-Mayor;.

Mr. N. 11. Bull: Is it necessary to appoint a deputy-Mayor t

The Mayor said it was not legally necessary, but that it would be advisable.

Mr. Bull suggested as an alternative that a chairman should be appointed at oach meeting at which tlie Mayor was absent.

The Mayor eald he- would be at most of the committee meetings and all the council meetings, and. that at-the end of the year it would-be found that he Lad attended as many : meetings as the others. He would never.be away any longer at one time than lie was on the last occasion. /,-'

Mr. Bull then moved that no deputyMayor be appointed, but there was no .seconder..

Mr. de Costa, in view of the Mayor's reply, withdrew from nomination, saying that lie did not wish to , pay out his hard-earned money in relief'-and other payments,

The Mayor said tnere -n r Hs.?,u.ftihd v for relief payments. . ?«_;\.-\ ; .

Mr. H. Holmes was then appointed deputy-Mayor "without opposition. ..- ;