SPIRITED DEFENCE BY CR. HODGENS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 305, 21 September 1936, Page 10

SPIRITED DEFENCE BY CR. HODGENS

“Good Name Besmirched” NO WISH TO BECOME VINDICTIVE . Echo of Council’s Action Dominion Special Service Palmerston North, September 20. Addressing some 2000 citizens ot Palmerston North last night, Cr. J. Hodgens, M.P. for Palmerston North, who was recently removed from the positions of deputy-mayor, chairman * of the Palmerston North City Council lighting committee and member of the special power supply costs committee, defended his actions, replied, to statements which had been made about him and declared that he defied “those seven men of the council’’ to besmirch his name and say “Hodgens, you’re not fit for your job.” Mr. P. T. Robinson presided over the meeting, which was called to give Cr. Hodgens an opportunity to state his side of the case. In an 80-minute address, Cr. Hodgens said he did not want to become vindictive. He wanted to go .through the work of this “suspicious committee which had been set up to go into this inquiry” systematically. He quoted at length from the minutes of that committee’s meetings, of which there were 101 foolscap pages. He appealed to the citizens to help him get fair justice by signing a petition, which would assist him to win back his “good name.” “My Real Meaning.” “The action of the Mayor and certain councillors h as tended to give a communication of mine undue importance in their controversy regarding allegations of my interference as chairman of the gas and electrical committee of the city council, with the personnel of the staff in these departments, which has brought about this meeting to-night,” he said. “In my absence, and before the matter of my communication actually came before the council, I wrote withdrawing a reference therein, and substituted words that conveyed my real meaning, at the same time apologising to the council for the use of the words which —without any Intention so to domight have given offence. “It has been brought to my notice that a reference in that communication to Or. Tennent arid a particular matter has been viewed by Cr, Tennent as offensive and libellous. In neither sense was it so intended by me. “On the medlartion of Cr. Langley I withdraw these inferences from the communication in question and tender Or. Tennent my apologies for their inclusion. The reference in question was entirely without malice or wrong intention. If in the heat of a controversy I may offend at any future time, I trust the electors of Palmerston North will always find me ready to apologise. It takes from no man’s dignity to offer an apology should he at any time unwittingly give cause for offence.”

“I know there are legal gentlemen in the audience looking after the interests of the Mayor and Cr. Tennent, so I’ll have to be careful in what I say,” observed Or. Hodgens. Dealing with the early history of the case, he said the council decided to investigate whether or not political influence had been used at the gasworks. Witnesses had been called and questioned, but none of them said they knew of such influence being brought to bear. The council decided to carry the matter further. Further witnesses were called. Certain of these had been “whispering in the ears of ”

A voice: Be careful. Cr. Hodgens: “Thank you. those who liked listening to whisperers.” Peculiar Circumstances.

The inference had been that he had used liis influence to the detriment of some employees of the council. Of. Hodgens admitted using his influence fo get a man a job at the works, but that was a case of absolute distress, ’file mayor had to be approached first for his permission, and was fully aware of the facte, but this present inference was absolutely unfounded and contrary to fact. He emphatically denied the allegations and sincerely hoped the citizens would back him up in his attempt to get justice and a fair trial. Cr. Hodgens said he knew what this action was for, and he felt that the greater part of his audience knew too. There had been a peculiar set of circumstances surrounding certain dismissals and appointments at the works, and his name had been drawn into it. In conclusion, Cr. Hodgens said he hoped he had given enough evidence to show that an attempt had been made to load on to his shoulders the fact that he had used his influence in any way toward getting his political friends positions at the works, a state of affairs that was absolutely unjustified and definitely untrue. The Hon. Mark Briggs, M.L.C., moved the following motions, which were carried: —

“That this representative meeting of citizens of Palmerston North request the Mayor, Mr. Mansford, and councillors to reconsider their decision in displacing Cr. J. Hodgens, M.P., from the various committees as suggested by the resolution moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr. Tennent. This fleeting has every confidence in Mr. Hodgens carrying out his duties in a purposeful way in the interests of the democracy which elected him. “That this representative meeting also requests the Mayor and councillors of the city of Palmerston North to replace Messrs. J. Martin, F. Simms and H. Unwin to the respective positions from which they were displaced without sufficient reason, in view of the fact of the long service of Messrs. Martin and Simms, who had given 13 years and 11 years respectively to the city.” POLITICAL BIAS? Mr, Butler Asks For British Justice Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, September 20. Prior to the speech by Cr. J. Hodgens at the meeting called last night, Mr. P. M. Butler, secretary of the General Workers’ Union, and Mr L Glover, president of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, addressed the meeting in sup]K>rt of Cr. Hodgens’s case Mr. Butler said his business was to give some of the facts leading up to tiie passing of the resolution by the council last week. He claimed that lhe labourer was one of the most ini portant members or the community. They did not get a fair deal, just be-

cause they were “ordinary common pick and shovel workers,” but through the efforts of the union they were now far better off. There were, however, still some men who victimised the ordinary labourer. The Palmerston North City Council had dismissed two men—one with 13 years’ service, and the other with 11—at a moment’s notice. It had taken 13 and 11 years respectively to find out that two of its workers were unsatisfactory. That was what he meant by victimisation —dismiss'll without due reason. The union decided to investigate these dismissals, so they approached Or. podgens. Mr. Butler said he was wondering if there was any political bias in this council action, just because Cr. Hodgens happened to beat Mr. Mansford to the post at the last general election. Dealing with the council’s action in taking the matter in the absence of Cr. Hodgens, Mr. Butler said it was only British justice that he should have been present to answer any questions or allegations made against him. It looked very much like Star Chamber methods when a man was tried in his absence. A great blow had been struck at democracy in this case. It looked ns if an attempt was being made to set up a Fascist dictatorship in Palmerston North. He hoped the councillors would realise their mistake and reinstate Cr. Hodgens. If not, a circular was being sent round asking for such action to be taken. This reads as follows: — „ “Acted in Hasty Manner.” “We, the undersigned citizens of Palmerston North, feeling that members’of the city council have acted in a hasty manner in connection with the rescinding of certain resolutions carried previously at a council meetiir| affecting the standing of Cr. J. Hodgens, ask that before any action is taken on the &id rescinded resolutions, Cr. Hodgens be given the right to defend himself at the council table. It is the cherished right of every citizen under the British flag to be given the right of a fair trial. This we feel Cr. Hodgens has not had. We also ask that the Mayor reopen this matter to allow both sides to state their case. “In the meantime we feel that Cr. Hodgens should be allowed that privilege of his former positions a.s a councillor. His long term of service to the citizens of Palmerston North a.s a councillor warrants, in our opinion, further consideration before being acted upon by the present Mayor and supporting councillors.”

Mr. Glover detailed the steps leading up to his interest in the dismissals. He had approached the Mayor, who had suggested that he write to the Mayor proposing that he (Mr. Gloverj come with the dismissed men to the council with a view to adjusting the matter. Mr. Glover said he received a. reply from the town clerk, Mr. J. R. Hardie, expressing regret that the council could not entertain the suggestion “I will say that the Mayor deliberately misled me, and that my letter was never before the council,” declared Mr. Glover. “I have the assurance of one councillor that it was not.”

Mr. Glover then quoted the Mayor’s reference to the Hon. R. Semple’s statement that everybody “must pull their weight.” Mr. Glover was prepared to place the case before Mr. Semple and would accept his judgment as final. He hoped the Mayor would take up that proposition. He was sure the Minister would not uphold such victimisation as this. Mr. Glover believed there was some ulterior motive behind the council’s action. All they were asking for was a fair trial for these men. If they could not gel justice in Palmerston North then lie felt we bad a Government in power that would give them that justice.