AUCKLAND’S COUNCIL

Evening Star, Issue 22031, 17 May 1935, Page 5

AUCKLAND’S COUNCIL

CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES ALL LABOUR MEMBERS CARRYING OUT PEOPLE'S MANDATE [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 10. “ We are here definitely as members and representatives of a political party, and so long as we are here we will represent that political party,” said the newly-elected deputy-mayor, Mr Ji. Martin (Labour), at a meeting of the City Council in the course of a prolonged discussion on the appointment of the standing committees and their chairmen. The Labour section of the council clearly showed its intention or dominating the council’s affairs by insisting on choosing all the committee chairmen from its own ranks despite protests from the minority. It also declined to add non-Labour members to the Finance Committee, which comprises the mayor and the chairmen of t e othei committees , . The debate was listened to by several hundreds of the public, who filled a 1 the standing room in the Council Chamber, and whpse applause was twice reproved by the mayor (Mr Ernest

Davis). There was no dissent to the appointment of the deputy-mayor. Mr E. J. Phelan, as spokesman for the Labour section, then took up a list of the proposed committees which had already been distributed to members of tho council. This contained the selection of the names for each committee, with a Labour member nominated as chairman in each case. He said that the Labour Party bad received a mandate from the people, and it would be their endeavour to give effect to the wishes of the people and bring about a complete change.

Mr H. P. Burton, chairman of the Works Committee in the last council, congratulated Mr Phelan on the frankness of his attitude. It was perhaps the first time in the history of the council that this attitude had been adopted. Miss E. Melville, formerly chairman of tho Library Committee, said it had always been the prerogative of the mayor to nominate the chairmen and suggest the personnel of the committees, and she was very sorry the question of party should have been brought in. “ I think members are speaking with their tongues in their cheeks,” said Mr Martin, “ when they express surprise at the introduction of political parties to the council. They know that we went before the people as a political party and asked for support. If they were ignorant of that the electors were not. We are here definitely as members and representatives of a political party, and as long as we are here we will represent that political party.”-