ULTIMATUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1937, Page 9

ULTIMATUM.

COUNCIL EMPLOYEE.

" RESIGN OR KEEP QUIET." MAYOR TAKES A STAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) PALMERSTON N., Monday. Recent dissensions in the administration of the affairs of the Palmerston North City Council had a sequel at to-night's meeting of the council, when it was decided, on a majority vote, that only if he resigns as an employee of the council will Mr. V. A. Christensen, selected Labour candidate for the Mayoralty (who la*t week challenged the sitting Mayor, Mr. A. E. Mansford, to resign and contest the chair with him) be permitted to make public criticism of the council over the recent inquiry into the management of the gas department. Mr. Christensen wrote asking for permission to conduct a Saturday afternoon o[*en air meeting in the Square. His subject was given as "The Gas Inquiry — Doe* the Evidence Justify the Council's Subsequent Action?" Mr. Mnnsford said he did not want to prevent Mr. Christensen from making his protest, but he did object to him, as an employee of the council, endeavouring to belittle it and undermine its authority. It was time, he said, the council took some stand in the matter. Fiftyeight employees had written to the newspapers stating the decision arrived at was absurd, and the council could not allow its action to be endlessly criticised. Motion By Mayor. "I am prepared to let Mr. Christeneen discus* the matter, but I am not prepared to agree to him diecussing it while an employee. lam going to move that the request be granted, but that the head of the department in which he is employed, give him notice under the terms of the award. Then he can discuss the council and its work if he wants to," said Mr. Mansford. Concurring, Mr. W. B. Cameron said that during the inquiry Mr. Christeneen was before the council giving evidence. He did not think any local body should havo to submit to unfa.ir criticism. It wae an impertinence. If anyone wished to take up such an attitude he should resign. Otherwise the employees would get out of hand. Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P. (Labour) protested that what Mr. Christensen did for a living should not affect his rights of free speech. No corporation in New Zealand would dare say it controlled the minds and soul* of its employees after, working hours. There should be no great crime in an employee taking an interest in a matter on which the council itself was divided. Mr. W. B. Tennent, while agreeing as to the justice of free speech, said that neither Mr. Hodgene nor any other employer of labour would stand for the criticism proposed by Mr. Christeneen. The motion not to grant Mr. Christen - sen the right to speak in the Square unless he resigned was carried on the voices.