WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 January 1941, Page 10

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. [our own correspondent.] HOKITIKA, January 15. The Westland County Council met yesterday; present: Cr. J. Donovan (chairman), Crs. G. Rowley, _ B. Ward, T. P. O’Neill, W. Searle, A. Dale, W. A. Jamieson, J. A. Murdoch and P. J. McLean' Mr T. Brown, on behalf of Southern Timbers Ltd., waited on the Council to protest against the proposed reclassification of Milltown Road. Members expressed the opinion that the road was originally meant for access to farm lands and not for heaw timber traffic, although they agreed with Mr Brown that the foundations with ordinary formation would make the road first class. Apparently the contract had not been carried out to specification. The contract was uncompleted. The road was of national importance and should be put in good condition as soon as possible. Cr. McLean suggested that a report and estimate for completing the whole road from Arahura through Milltown to Lake Kanieri be made. The suggestion was adopted. Accounts amounting to £2491/9/1 were passed for payment. A grant of £l2/10/- was approved for South Island Travel. It was decided that applicants under the rural housing scheme be referred to the State Advances Corporation. Eleven applications were received for the position of County roadman. F. J. Jones, of Kanieri, was appointed.

CORRESPONDENCE. From District Engineer, approving work to the value of £6O in strength ening the Kokatahi bridge, southern end.

I From same, regarding marking of ; double centre lines on highways after I consultation with the Automobile As- ! sociation for their prior criticism of i any proposal. I From same, notifying grant of £305 i (£3 for £1) ’for repairs to highway I bridges, Lake Kanieri Main Highway, i From J. C. Malfroy and Co., Hous|ton Timbers Ltd., and Southern Timibers Ltd., respecting road classiflca--1 tioh and effect on the timber ipdustry. • From F. Mitchell, resigning position • as roadman as from January 3. i The Chairman moved: “That pubj lie notice be given of the intention I of the Council to add an additional 10 per cent, to all rates for the current year, outstanding on and alter February 15, 1941. —Carried. The Chairman moved: “That David John Evans be appointed the Council’s representative on the Hokitika i I High School Board.”—Carried. I The Ch.airman moved: “That pur- 1 suant to the provisions of the Heavy Motor-Vehicle Regulations, application be made to the Minister of Transport for his approval of the , classification of roads, as notified ■ through the Press, by public advertisement, and deposited at the Post Offices, Stafford, Kanieri and Harihari, a statement showing the roads j to be classified.”—Carried. i The Chairman moved: “That tenders be called, returnable at the February meeting, for the electoral i rolls of the three ridings.”—Carried, i

DETAINED M.P. COMPLAINTS AT INQUIRY. Captain A. H. M. Ramsay, Conservative M.P. for Peebles, arrested last May and since detained in Brixton Prison, in evidence before the House of Commons Committee of Privileges, alleged: “I have been locked up for 20 hours a day in a cell between a murderer and a suspected leper.” This was revealed in a report by the committee, over which Mr C. R. Attlee. Lord Privy Seal, presided. The committee found that Captain Ramsay’s arrest, under Defence Regulations 18b, did not constitute a breach of the privileges of the House of Commons. This was the basis on which Captain Ramsay appealed to the committee. Twenty-six and a-ha]f columns of the report are devoted to the evidence of Captain Ramsay, who attended the House twice while the committee was sitting. In his evidence Captain Ramsay said: “I shall not be able to put this case very well, I am afraid, but I would like your indulgence. “If you had been locked up for 20 hours a day in a cell between a murderer and a leper for weeks, and had

ucuu luuneu up uuiuig ctii idius, yuu would not feel at your best.” On his second appearance before the committee Captain Ramsay referred to this statement and said: “I would like to alter that to a suspected leper—but we were with him for 10 days.” | Captain Ramsay also criticised the , treatment he received when he ap- I pealed to the advisory committee, j Asked whether he obtained a fair hearing, he replied: “It was some- | thing between a fair hearing and a I severe cross-examination by a clever I counsel without my having any as- I sistance from one on my side.” Cap- j tain' Ramsay went on to speak of a; “baseless attack on me in the House of Lords by Lord Marley while my case was sub judice. “Lord Marley,” said Captain Ramsay, “declared in public debate something about my having been appoint-; ed Gaulieter for Scotland. 1 “A baseless charge was made! against me in a public nlace, under! privilege, when I had no moans what- ■ ever of replying. It was a very grave! charge. I should have regarded such a charge as a charge of treason. If I had accepted the Dost gauleiter it would have been treason.” !

NO PROTECTIVE PRIVILEGE. The Chairman: There is no privilege that protects a member of one House from being attacked in the other House, as far as I know. Captain Ramsay then declared: “I think that the Swinton committee and the advisory committee, if I may be permitted to say so, are getting somewhere near the Court of Star Chamber.”

! Captain Ramsay finally asked the committee to give effect, to a standing precedent and to order his release until such time as Parliament decided that he should be detained. 1 Sir John Anderson, who, as Home 'Secretary, made the order for Captain Ramsay’s arrest, was also called before the committee; j Asked whether the grounds oh i which he had acted arose from anything which was said by Captain ! Ramsay in Parliament, he answered “No.” Mr Attlee: Was Captain Ramsay treated in the same way as any other, citizen? Sir John: So far as I am concerned, in all respect's;