A SPECIAL MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 118, 20 May 1932, Page 8

A SPECIAL MEETING

FIRE. BOARD INQUIRY

FULL REPORT COMING

A NOTICE OF MOTION

Upon the order paper for the meeting "Of the Fire Board to-day appeared an item, "Superintendent and deputy and motor-car, pronouncement by Mayor," but the subject was not/discussed, as, upon the suggestion of the chairman, Mr. N. W. Nelson, the board decided to hold a special meeting in a week's time. Mr. Nelson said that he was of the opinion that the remarks made by the Mayor at the last meeting of the City Council must be considered as of an ex parte nature, and he intended to make a very full reply. Ho. had not, however, been able to prepare his statement for to-day's meeting, mainly, because the board's lawyer had been called from Wellington, and because there was a great deal of detail to be set out. He suggested that a special meeting should be held on Friday next, when he would present a full statement, which would also be handed to the Press for publication. TO COVER EVERYTHING. Mr. Marcus Marks said that he would like to see the statement made as soon as possible, before further statements were made by others. Would the statement cover the whole of the proceedings, the alleged insubordination and the trouble1? askeel Councillor E, Senvple, M.P. '. The chairman replied that everything would be covered. Mr. Marks .expressed, some surprise that the Mayor should have been, in possession of.a copy of the minutes of board meetings. He did no"; object to Mr. Hislop having seen the minutes, but he did not like the idea of there having been. a leakage. . Mr. S. S. Dean remarked that the whole question was sub judiee until the investigation was completed. Councillor Seniple agreed ' that it would not have been right to discuss the matter publicly until tho Audit Department had completed its work. The special meeting for Friday next was agreed to. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT'S POSITION. Councillor Seniple said he felt -that the board was putting itself in a false position by retaining the services of tho Deputy Superintendent. That had been his opinion all along, and when the matter was before the board previously he had voted against it. He thought that the board' should make up jts mind at .once. Other members considered that nothing should be done until the chairman's report had been discussed, and Councillor Semple accordingly agreed, giving notice' of his intention to move at the next meeting that .the Deputy Superintendent should be dismissed from the board's service. '