"ASTONISHED."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 295, 14 December 1938, Page 13

"ASTONISHED."

MAYOR'S COMMENT.

CENTENNIAL SCHEME. REPLY TO MAYOR OF OTAHUHU Strong exception to the remarks reported to have been made by the Mayor of Otaliuhu, Mr. C. K. Petrie, M.P., at a meeting of his council, when the question of a combined Metropolitan Centennial memorial was under review, was taken by the chairman of the Auckland Provincial Centennial Council. Sir Ernest Davis, in an interview to-dav.

Sir Ernest said lie was puzzled by the statement of Mr. Petrie that all that Auckland apparently wanted was that the outside local bodies should forego L'leir snbsidie.'. There was no warranty whatever for such a surest ion.

Not Before Conference. The «sul>sidy aspect was not before tlic confcrence of local bodies which on November 30 had discussed the combined memorial proposal, and what was more, it would be impracticable for it to arise until after the local bodies had determined whether or not metropolitan unity in the matter could be achieved. Far from any attempt to restrict the centennial memorial desires of individual 1 ocal authorities, it had been made crystai clear t'o the conference, that whihst the centennial memorial *ecticii was anxious that the memorial for Auckland should be a combined effort on the part of all the local authorities and ad hoc bodies in the metropolitan area, it fully appreciated that some districts within the area might desire to provide separate memorials of historical or other importance to their respective boroughs. It had been emphasised, too, that there was no wish on the part of the centennial authorities to seek to hamper the activities of local bodies in that regard.

"As Mr. Petrie was present at tli<» conference."' Sir Krncst added, "and iihis local body was supplied with two copies of the full minutes of the proceedings. I am astonished that he should place such a construction on the outcome of them. Moreover, he had no justification for su«rj>cstin<r that there is a suspicion—a most unworthy one— that the City Council will seek to dominate the situation. Substantiation for my repudiation of the charge is to be found in my recommendation, unanimously adopted by the conference that in the event of the proposal for metropolitan unity being adopted, steps bo taken to api>oint from the local body representatives an executive committee with an independent chairman to consider the form the memorial should take, and report its recommendations to a plenary conference of local body representatives in February next. In the light of such a dispassionate and impartial attitude, lio\v can it be suggested that the City Council will seek to dominate the situation?

Sir Ernest's Aim. "My aim throughout has been to have this important question approached with an open mind, and I object to any other construction being placed on what was submitted to the conference in the plainest language. "According to the newspaper report. Mr. Petrie said lie felt it necessary to weigh his words in discussing the matter." concluded Sir Ernest. "If my friend. Mr. Petrie, has been correctly reported, as 1 assume he has been, all I can add is that lie weighed his words \ritli spring-balances which were definitely out of order."