COUNCIL VACANCY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 134, 3 December 1936, Page 10

COUNCIL VACANCY

EX-MEMBER TO STAND

WARNING BY MAYOR

• •>■, '$ e \cnn>"' 'ress Association.) DARGAVILLE, This Day. Two nominations have been received for the extraordinary vacancy on the Dargaville Borough Council caused through the resignation of Councillor Raymond Gibson last month. The nominees are Mr. Gibson and Mr. James- Brady, a councillor from 1914 to 1918., ' . .

Mr. Gibson, since handing his nomination to the Returning Officer, Miss Watson, has received from the Mayor, iMr. F. A. Jones, a letter which states, inter alia, "From certain statements appearing over your signature in the columns of the 'North Auckland Times' of recent date I conclude it is your' intention again to offer yourself as a candidate for the vacant seat on the Dargaville Borough Council. It is only fair on my part- to warn you that should such a position eventuate it will be my unpleasant duty as Mayor and leader of the council to take the earliest opportunity of placing before the electors of Dargaville a full and complete statement supported by facts and documents relating to the unfortunate incident which led up to your resignation at the last meeting of the council. Further, it is my intention to advise the council at its next meeting to refer the whole matter t.o the borough solicitors for investigation, and if found necessary to submit the facts to the Auditor-General." Mr. Gibson handed the letter to the Press with the comment that he would welcome any public disclosure. A Press Association message published on November 17 stated that Mr. Gibson's resignation from the council followed a discussion by the rating committee and a statement by the Mayor that Mr. Gibson had . acted wrongly in his private capacity as a solicitor in seeking on behalf of a client a rebate of overdue rates and being on the committee which adjudicated on the matter.