RESIGNATIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 308, 22 September 1920, Page 3

RESIGNATIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL

EXPERT'S CHEQUE ONLY AN INCIDENT / MESSRS. SHORLAND AND M'KENZIE EXPLAIN The resignation of Messrs. L. M'Kenr.io and J. 0. Shorland City Council continues to be one of the chief topics of conversation among those imin municipal atfnirs. Although early invited to make a statement explaining the reason for their drastic action of Friday last, both gentlemen preferred to bide theit time. Yesterday they made statements, which cast somo. light on their attitude, particularly in respect to the now powor-houso nt Evans Bay, over .-which there was a controversy some weeks ago. Mr. Shorland Travorees Position. Mr. Shorland enid. that whore tho expenditure of publio money was concorned, he did not think ifc proper that

& person who was connected 111 any way with tho recipient should have a voice, either in 'assessing l or voting,a fee. He questioned the wisdom of the Mayor, who is uncle by marriage to Mr. Birks, in taking the attitude ho did. There was no other coiir.se open but to tender his resignation, but ho did think tho Mayor, .seeing tho serious expanse it would moan if an election was forced, would have held tho cheque till the oouncil met again. The Mayor forced the by-election.. "The payment of tho cheque," said Mr. Shorland. "is only an incident in the settlement of where, in this city, the council should establish a steam 6tandby statibn to fit in with the hy--1 dro-cleetric scheme when this city is connected with Manga.hao. In my opinion the handling of the whole business has been the most unsatisfactory that I • have had anything to do with in the council. The first report was presented by Mr." Morton in 1919, based upon the joint report of our electrical engineers after thorough consultation with Mr. Parry, possibly the greatest electrical expert New Zealand has had, and strongly urged the council to immediately equip Harris Street to fit in as the future standby station. The next wo hear of the matter is this year, when th« Committee was called together to consider a report from Mr, Cable, and a covering report from Mr. Morton rcsarding steam standby plant. I happened to bo at this meeting as I was acting-cluirman of the Health Committee. The reports wero placed in front of the committee, and owing to their technical nature it looked as if there was nothing we could do but recommend tho council to adopt them, and a councillor suggested doing that. I drew attention to the fact that although Mr. Morton agreed grnerallj' with Mr. Cable in his report, there was one great difference —that whereas Mr. Cable Raid Miranmr as a site was paramount, Mr. Morton' said Kaiwarra. Previously they had agreed that Harris Street was tho proper place. However, the matter was patched up in the meeting, and Mr. Cable agreed to alter his report to Kaiwarra, but any ono could see he was doing something against his grain when lie agreed to alter. At stage, Mr. Morton said it was onty fair to Mr. Lauclilan, who was away on holiday, and would not return until the end of the week, that he also should report, and that it would be better to hold the matter over. It was decided that the matter of reports should be brought before a special council meeting, and Mr. NLauchlan's report would also be considered at that meeting. The meeting was held, and Mr. Lauchlan's report was of such a nature that it placed the council on the horns of a dilemma, for Mr. Lauchlan's report was in favour of staying in Harris Street and saving «C3QO,OCO on the expenditure suggested in Mr. Cable's report. Mr. Morton at this point made a statement to tho council which to this day ihas not been properly cleared up. He stated that when he left for England, he had called the two electrical engineers to his office, and instructed them during his absenco to prepare a joint report on the matter of future requirements of the city, having regard to tho coming of the Government bydro scheme. That,report, he enid, was not forthcoming, and Mr. Morton stated that these two engineers would not come together, and he was badly placed, not being an electrical engineer. Tho council decided to order a. joint itport to be prepared for the next meeting. It came to hand sicined by Messrs. Morton, Cable, and Lauclilan, and Harris Street was the site agreed on. The council had now had three sites mentioned. Mr. Morton said Kaiwairn, Mr. Cable Mirainar, and Mr. Lauchlan Harris Street, in separate reports. One of the reasons Mr. Morton gave for selecting Kaiwarra was that he thought the council wanted it there, and the Mayor had stated that that was the right place. However, in this joint report, t-*-«i" all agreed on Harris Street, and the Wiuiicil decided on Harris Street, by a "uti'ority. "Then ' the newspapers ui'i the" matter of sites, and Councillor Hutchison moved to rescind the Harris 'Street decision, and was successful. This left the council in the air again. The matter was left to Jfr. Morton to brinj; down a report on his own, whicfy be presented to another council meeting., I asked him how he could report on such a matter, seeing he was not an electrical engineer. Ho said he was well advised. It was also evident from the report that he had taken out of the other reports presented what he considered was. proper, and fitted them together on another site—Evans Bay, "After the meeting, Mr. Morton came to me and told nio that Mr, Birks, Chief Government Electrical Engineer, was in full agreement with his report. At the next council meeting it was decided to call in expert advice. Mr. Birks was decided upon, and how could Mr. Birks fo against Mr. Morton's report P Mr. lirks was in favour of Evans Bay.

"Now, here is a liug\; expenditure of money ( to be made. Both Meters. Cable nnd Lauchlan are able electrical engineers, and their opinions are entitled tn inspect, and they both agreed that Evans Bay, with >tho rough weather experienced and salt air which is detrimental to electrical equipment, should not Be the site for an electric station, and Mr. Cable plainly says so in his first report. "Tha matter of tho: report that Mr. Morton _ states the two electrical engineers failed to produce after receiving instructions from him was advanced a fiirth'ar stnpte when salary increases wero under consideration. I moved that Messrs. Cable and Lauchlan's increase 'be withheld till they gave a satisfactory report of their conduct, seeing that their failure to carry out instructions practically caused tKa whole trouble. . When asked by me' at a subsequent council meeting, the Mayor simply 6tated they both denied having received instructions, and the in-

crease in salary liad befen paid. The Mayor had 110 risht to do that, to my mind, until such time as the council decided'to pass nn increase. I Bay it is bein? Improperly paid, and those two gentlemen should either be cleared or discharged. I shall certainly be a candidate tor re-election. Tift Mayor forced the position, and I - havo nothing more to <ay." • Mr. M'Kenzi»'s Statement. Mr. MTfonzie said in the first place ihat ho boro no ill-ivill to anyonetcithdr to tho Mayor, the councillors, for the officers of tho council. He had (imply taken the stop _ of resignation, ifter due consideration, in the public interest, Tho amount proposed to be paid to Mr. Birks by the' Mayor was a surpriso vote, and ono that Irad not been considered by the officers or the Finance Committee. No payment should ba passed except through the proper channels after full inquiry. The Mayor had admitted, vrhen he presented his proposal to tho council, that he had not consulted tl>|a officer as to the amount, but bad talked it over witff Mr. Birfcj. The item did not appear on tho order paper or tho . tupplomentary order paper. Mr. Jl'Kcnz.y> irec-ly admitted that he ought to have challenged the item there and thon, but it was done bo precipitately that h* missed the ohanoe. Mr. BirSn's report had never ben/> circulated among councillors or read in open council, There had simply been a casual talk in the Mayor s room with Mr. Blrks, and several Quwtions were asked. Tho repoTt was taken as read at the council meeting and adopted, Councillors M'Keiizio and Shorland dissenting. "We. feel," said Ml .M'Kisnzio, "that this has been the 'method adopted right through upon this important question, involving tha expenditure

of JMOO.OOO, and tlint tlie other side has not teen properly honr<l." Mr. M'Kenzie traversed nt length the proceedings over the rival power-house sites, and said, in concluding: "I have no axe to grind in this matter, nor does it personally matlfir (o me where the electric station is ercctcd. All that I wisbt to sav is that -here sueli huye expenditure tnkrf I'ucft, we ought to feel suro'w?« are d-r.. 0 ' the right thing." The Mayor (Mr, ,T. P. Luke) was communicated with last evening, and ashed if lie had any rejoinder to make to the above statements, but as he was extrenjaly busy with his Parliamentary duties as the member in charge of a labour Bill, and amendments to the Municipal Corporations Act, he could not. possibly find time to Teplv. At the time of inquiry ho had not had time to peruse the etatemcnts.