DRAINAGE BOARD CHAIRMANSHIP.

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23264, 26 February 1941, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD CHAIRMANSHIP.

Vliss Howard Attacks Procedure \ i ■ i \ CONSPIRACY ALLEGED 5 t 1 1 Alleging that the older members of 1 :he board had conspired not to allow E i Labour member to hold the chair- 1 nanship, Miss Mabel Howard made a A strong attack on the method of elec- ; lion at last night’s meeting of the s Christchurch Drainage Board. She maintained that a “gentlemen’s agreement” had been broken. The board , elected Mr J.~ W. Beanland as chair- 1 man. Miss Howard’s nominee, Mr T. M. Robson, being defeated by six j votes to four. The retiring chairman ’ (Mr W. J. Walter) nominated Mr Bean- j land. ' “When I came on this board, I was told that a gentlemen's agreement existed about the chairmanship,” Miss Howard said. “The year that Mr E. H. S. Hamilton was elected chairman, I wanted to move somebody else because Mr Hamilton had just come back to the board, but I was told by Mr J. S. Barnett that there was a gentlemen’s agreement. I honoured that agreement. Mr Barnett told me that we were in duty bound to stand by that agreement. It seems to me that the agreement exists only when it plays into some people's hands. It is not the place o£ the retiring chairman to nominate another chairman. That is not playing the game. Mr Beanland is a personal friend of mine, but I think it is Mr Robson’s turn, and that it is my turn. “On the way you are going on now, we might as well be oil the board as we will never be the chairman. It is huddled up and it is cut up among the old members of the board. Mr Walter had two terms. It is not playing the game. If this is going on, I am going to take other stops and give the gentlemen’s agreement a "hang of a thrashing.” Mr Walter, in particular, is not playing the gnihe, because he knows of the' agreement. Mr P. Harvey: What is it? “Mr Walter knows it. It was rammed down my neck,” Miss Howard continued, “and now it is thrown overboard.” Understanding Reached Mr J. S. Barnett maintained that there had been an understanding among the majority of members that the chairmanship was to be held in rotation. There was no special reason why Mr Robson should not be elected chairman. Quite definitely, the common understanding was reached when | the late Mr H. J. Otley was defeated for ihe chairmanship that the office should go in rotation. Mr Harvey; I cannot see how one board can commit another board. Mr W. J. Walter said that when he was elected last year for the second term, he had been on the board for 33 years. Some had been members before others had joined the board, and they were entitled to a second term. “And when are we going to get our turn?” Miss Howard asked. “When we were in the majority and could have selected Mr Robson, we stood down for Mr Hamilton.” Mr Walter replied that irrespective of whether the member was a representative of the Labour Party or the Citizens’ Association he would support him if he was entitled to the chairmanship. Mr Beanland had given 26 years' of service to the board. "That has nothing to do with it—it is Mr Robson’s turn,” replied Miss Howard. “We have to wait until you old fogies die. You don’t want any young stuff on the board. You want the old fogies to run it.” "Where is the young stuff?” asked Major H. G. Livingstone. “It’s., a conspiracy,” retorted Miss Howard. Mr Walter said he was 32 years on the board before he was elected chairman. Miss Howard: Perhaps you did not have a gentlemen’s agreement, Mr Walter: I don’t know about that. "Only when it suits yourself,” Miss Howard returned. “Be fair if you know how to be.” When a motion to hold a ballot was carried, Miss Howard declared that the ballot was rigged already and was a farce. Mr Walter: I have not spoken to a soul about it. “This will make good election stuff—the honour of certain people,” said Miss Howard. On being elected, Mr Beanland said he had been a member for 26 years and a second term as chairman was not out of place. He was sorry that some feeling had been shown. “We have to wait till you all die,” interjected Miss Howard. Mr Beanland said members would look upon his election as a graceful act, because he intended to retire from public life.