THAT LIGHT AREA TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 6

THAT LIGHT AREA TO THE EDITOR.

! Sir. — It will be noted by those who have followed the correspondence, that ! Councillor Hindmarsh has* not attempted to give the explanations which in my Jast Jetfcer I invited him to make. He has, however, propounded- a series of questions for Councillor Godber and myself to answer. These can be fully covered by a reply in general terms. I have over and over again stated that I took no part whatever in the discussions on my firm's applications, either in committee or 1 council ; I have, however, the assurance of the then chairman, Councillor Godber, that all the reports were read to' the committee and fully discussed, and most people will, I think, accept the affirmation of the chairman who was present in charge of the meetings in preference to the denial of Councillor Hindmarsh, who failed to attend them, and therefore could have no knowledge of what took place. At the council meeting I retired from the chamber when the item was reached, so am unable to say what transpired, but have no doubt that if the reports were called for they were read. Councillor Hindmarsh knows well enough that departmental reports previously considered and dealt with by committees are not read in council unless they are called for. Councillor Hindmarsh, however, was present at the council meeting, and one would have thought that, as a member of the committee who had absented himself from its meetings, he would have taken that opportunity at least of satisfying himself that the committee's recommendation was a proper one. I retired from the chamber to give all councillors the necessary freedom to discuss the committee's recommendation, but apparently no exception was taken to it by Councillor Hindmarsh, or anyone else, as the minutes record that it was adopted without dissent. As regards the engineer's and Mr. M 'Coil's reports, J had, and still have, nothing to say, for the reason that I was absolutely neutral in the matter. I am content, however, with the knowledge that Mr. Morton in 1907 was inclined to favour the right-of-way, and is still of opinion that it ought to have been granted, aud that Mr. Richardson's present expressed opinion is that the council's action in granting the light area has not hampered the lighting station arrangements, thus proving that the decision of the committee and council in 1907 was a proper one, not being detrimental to the interests of the city. - That no hasty decision was arrived at is proved by the fact that some ten months elapsed from the date of the application before the council, on the recommendation of the committee, granted the light area. Let me repeat that the charges that Councillor Hindmarsh has made, and that, if I mistake not, the public will expect him to make good or unreservedly withdraw, are : (1) That I, being a councillor, misused my public position for the purpose of obtaining an advantage for my firm. (2) That Councillor Godber, the chairman of the committee, suppressed Mr. M 'Coil's report. Believing that, so far as my own knowledge admits of my doing * so, I have effectively answered both of these feckless charges, I do not propose to I tronble yon with further letters on the subject, and have only to thank yon for tho opportunities you have granted me [ of making 1 public my side of the story. — I am, etc., G. SIIIRTCLIFFE. 28th March.

Owing to pressure of other business, M». J. Smith, secretary of the Petone Fire Board, has resigned his position on that body. It was decided to approach the Petone Council with a view to the Town Clerk taking up the position. A selection of city residential properties for bale v advertised iv thii issue by Meurs. Mi^er ftfici BuJUr, 35, Piu^ma-