MAYOR AND COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 150, 25 June 1921, Page 6

MAYOR AND COUNCIL

OPEN DISAGREEMENT.

A special 'meeting .of the Petone Borcmgh Council was held yesterday afternoon," .having been called by: the Mayor at the request of Councillor Anderson," to ■' consider what action the council. should, take in regard to tho TOiblip, meeting, called for that evening by the Mayor (and • reported above). There were present:. The Mayor (Mr. J. W'.'M'Ewan), Councillors E. A. Hartley, D. S. "Bedingfield, A. AndeT-son,'-W.-Hay, R. Jones,.C. P. Brocidebank',' and'(G.I'Cook,. — :

The discussion'developed into an argument between the- councillors' arid theMayor"as' to the,.right!'of. the latter to call „a public meeting..to traverse the decision-of-the-council, without having been-- requested, to /do sio by a petition of citizens or by resolution of-.! the council:—The'- -Mayor declared that he could call such meetings at his own discretion. In;,/reply. ..to Councillor Broeklebank, the'" Mayor- stated that no expense would fall "upon, the borough. He refused to be dra-wn'as to what he intended to say -at the-'-meeting, beyond stating that-it-.was all in the council's minute book. „ <■•

Councillor Anderson declared that at all public .functions ..the Mayor had ignored the council, and he could not expect, if he continued on those lines, to enjoy the confidence of the council. The Mayor ultimately left the room,' and the councillors in committee passed a resolution in. which they declined to take part in the Mayor's meeting, and a copy of this was forwarded to Mr. M'Ewan and read at the meeting.