RESIGNATION?

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 7

RESIGNATION?

SCENE AT A COUNCIL MEETING. STATEMENT BY MR. i. P. LUKE. ' WALKS OCT OF THE MEETING. At n meeting of tho I'inanoe Committal of the City Council held yesterday afternoon l ' (in committoo) it is understood that' Senior Councillor John, P, Luke,' M.P., .»ftor making a statement, dcclarcdchis inteotionof '-. ' ing his seat on tho council, and, despitotho persuasiio -efforts.: of. his fellow-committeo-liion, left tho mooting. 1 • ■ - !, l'iom what oould bo gathered last evening, ' it. is understood'that Councillor Luko strongly csonted certain alleged insinuations - which ho believed ; had boon made with regard to , ' hiniself or tho firm of which ho is a member, , ' m connection With City Council contracts and as a protest declared; his intontion of ro- i- ; signing and left 1 tho room.- > -v Councillor Luke, was communicated with: V", • tot evening on.the.matter, but said that bo ' oould make no statement at present--is it truo that you have resigned P was thoquestion nsked,/ ■ .■«"■ , ~ J to make a»y statomont on tbo matter," said Mr. Luko. of tlio; committeo were' feticCnt <)n tho. subject, and the Mayor oould ' ' not, bo scon or communicated with last evening. ' - N A RECENT DISCUSSION, It will bo of interest to ratepayers to re6all a i discussion' wjncli., took plaoo; at. tho. first ' '' : - mooting,of council, on May 6. On : ' that occasion ;Carmichacl moved; . J.JWt no member of -tlio council who Was a '■ mornber _ of. , a limited liability oompany .ehould sit on committees. ■ - Councillor i Luko said ho-was glad tbo * matter had been'brought up, ob it would rive • an, opportunity; of explanation; Ho was a member, of a, joint - stock company, and- he , : . took it as an attack upon the members of tho i 1 1 council who had carried out their duties in a f, J}® neE t,: straightforward, The etfett . - ,%®'M<>t!on-jronld be, to shut many men .■ ;' t! JO I'ublic service. Ho wished to eay tllat Jio had never, yet, known any councillor '' ' '■ to do anything to advance, his own pnvato interests;^ against .'the common good.-' (Hear,'I am not; feoing -to stand down,'' de- • 1 clarod the,Speaker./-"I ha'd a declaration: from • v - - week ago to carry out the duties W " . for the next two years, and I am goinß to^ stand for any '.qominittoo my name i«\ down for" ( . Councillor, ]3alb'nger took the motion as i slap : at himsplf,..as. lib-, happened to bo con- . 1 corned with a. company, which had a con- > ■ tract with the council. Ho raoutioned that last?year, his firm's tender save', the council between £200 and. £.100. "Are we," ho ' ftskedj "7 to' ba fdebarred from actiiig 011 tha , council? : Mo;-' Act; clearly -and >flisliiictl,V - states 'of. limited ■- liability ;< companies supply/goods to a council. Troyor said his experience was i ■ : ■ thatsthe' lowest tender :was always accepted.';'' *V Councillor Smith said lio uas not a member 1 of ; a- limited liability 'tom'pany, 'and'.'lie'' did l .» -'V .V not. tender,; but ho.-ivas. stjrc.no. favouritism . was shown. Th() resolution was a very unfair - ono. Ho would certainly vote against it.- • Councillor Hiudmarsh said that no harm ■ was doiie in bringing tho matter up, but ho did ( not: suggest that any 'improprieties had ~' bean, oomtnitted.. . -, - - ~;-\v frCouricillbr-.Shittcliffo.rcgrottod the fact that • . the motion l had boon brought forward, and : hof suggested , its withdrawal. 'Ho 1 saw no : • ' • possible, objection to any member of .a com- • pany acting.on v;a .committee. Councillor BaUingor had acted on' a oommitte, and ho■ knew - that. Councillor, D&llinger; had never allowed - hia > .personal interests to influcnco ■ inm. Ho could say the ißamo of Councillor > ' Luke. Councillor Luko osplauiod than whonover his, firm's tender camo' before a committeo - upon' which he sat ho bad always retired, (Hear, hear.} ' Councillor Carmichael said ho Jiad no per. -• sonal tho matter,j lie only ohjoctod 011 prmciplo. Cojitraots'Jiad hco'n ipor- : ■ formed .by. companies, of which-.councillorsi<. >. wore members, without calling for ■: tenders, ' ' Ho -asked leavo to withdraw '' This was agreed to.'.;: ' .' : ;.- v - v)fv Mr. J. P. ■-Luko i?as elected 1 to tho City Council'.-in'; September; ,1898; •and~Bat : con- ' .': L tinuously nntil; April; ;1905, , in- which year I ho unsuccessfully contested tho Mayoralty: JlO was.re-fleeted a .councillor 111 September i tho. samo'yoarj and 'for tho last, two electionshas headed tho .poll. In addition to being a 1 membor of tho linanco and Tramways Com- ; mitteo, bo is chairman of tho v ßescrvos Com- ' mittee. Mr. Luke, is a member of the firm' , S. Luko and Co., yonfoundors, etc.- ! ' ■■ ■ '