Determination to oust port unit man

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 6

Determination to oust port unit man

Some of the Lyttelton Harbour Board members who yesterday voted for Mr Allan Williams’ removal from the port company establishment unit were astounded he was still there.

“I am disgusted,” said Mr Brooke McKenzie. “If majority decisions of the board are ignored, we may as well stay at home and play tiddleywinks.”

Board members expected Mr Williams to tender his resignation at yesterday’s establishment unit meeting after board members voted six to five that he should go.

“As far as I am concerned he (Mr Williams) is . removed,” said Mr McKenzie. The board called for the resignations of Mr Williams and another member of the unit, Mr Don Church, after revelations that they had

troyed all copies of a controversial consultant’s report. Mr Church has tendered his resignation, effective from a date to be decided by the board. “The most important thing is that the best thing is done for the port,” said Mr Church, who is also deputy chairman of the board. “Individuals such as myself don’t matter,” he said. “What is important is the ongoing work of the establishment unit.” Mr Williams is waiting for the results of a special Harbour Board meeting on Tuesday before tendering his resignation. The chairman of the board, Mr George Wright, said he would call the meeting to ask board members to reconsider their resignation call in the light of the support for Mr Williams shown by

the port unions and the rest of the unit. Another board member, Mr lan Howell, said he would attend the special meeting only to get “a full explanation as to why the chairman of the board has failed to carry out the will of the majority.” Mrs Judy Waters said she was “absolutely furious” that Mr Williams was still on the unit. The board had given him the opportunity to tender his resignation rather than telling him to

go“I am really sorry now that we were so nice.” Some sources have speculated that a board member who was absent from yesterday’s meeting might be summoned from the North Island to vote at Tuesday’s meeting. It was expected he would vote against the resignation call. I