COUNCILLOR REMOVED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 March 1935, Page 7

COUNCILLOR REMOVED

SCENE AT CHRISTCHURCH REFUSAL TO OBEY CHAIR POLICEMEN CALLED IN. AValking between two policemen, Or. A. E ! . Armstrong was removed from the Christchurch council chamber last Alonday evening at the direction of the Deputy-Alayor (Air J. Iv, Archer), who was presiding in the absence of the Alayor (Air D. G. Sullivan, ALP.). The calling of the police ended an incident in which Cr Armstrong refused’ to accept the Deputy-Alayor’s ruling that his introduction of certain business was out of order.

The ordinary council business had been concluded and new business called for. Cr Armstrong rose and said that lie was going to read from a letter he had received from the actingtown clerk (Air J. F. Fames). He was not allowed to proceed. The Deputy-Mayor requested Cr Armstrong to submit the letter to him for perusal, so that the validity of the business could be investigated. Cr Armstrong walked to the Mayor’s chair, handed up the letter and then returned to his seat. Air Archer read the letter and then announced that the position was the same as under previous circumstances when the Alayor had ruled (and quite rightly in accordance with his powers), that any notice of motion, the terms of which contravened the standing orders could not be accepted'. In accordance with that ruling, Mr Archer said, Lis course on this occasion was clear—he could not allow the discussion to come before the council.

ORDERED TO SIT DOAA'N. Air Archer laid the letter aside and went on to move that the council go into committee when Cr Armstrong rose in his place. He was ordered to resume liis seat as it had been ruled that he was entirely out of order. He did not sit down and stated that lie challenged the ruling. Air Archer rose and rang his hell continuously for a. few second's. But Cr Armstrong remained standing, and endeavouring to get the council to listen to his explanation. “Will you please take your seat?” the Deputy-Mayor demanded, pointing to Cr Armstrong, much of whose comment at this stage was being drowned by the noise of the bell, and by the Deputy-Alayor’s repeated requests.

Cr Armstrong: You’ve got to listen to niy challenge. Mr Archer again insisted that Cr Armstrong should sit down. The requests were ignored entirely, as Cr Armstrong proceeded to address councillors on what lie thought were the merits of liis case.

“If you don’t resume your seat I will have you removed,” the DeputyMayor asked the acting-town clerk (Air J. F. Fames) to call in the police and ask them to remove Cr Armstrong. POLICE IN CHAAIBER.

Air Eames opened the door leading from the chamber into the Alayor’s room, .where there were two constables. During the few moments before the constables appeared in the chamber, many councillors appealed to Cr Armstrong to resume his seat. ‘Sit down, Tom,” one of them called loudly. But Or. Armstrong still stood up, calling out that the Alayor had merely interpreted the standing orders to suit his own political motiveß. The two constables entered the chamber and the Alayor. pointing, ordered them to remove “that councillor.” The constables walked part way round the council table and hesitated momentarily. Cr Armstrong had sat down on their entrance. The Deputy-Alayor again instructed the constables to remove him, this time'mentioning him by name. Cr Armstrong rose immediately and with the constables standing beside him started again his argument with Air Archer. There was another demand for his removal from the chair. “PARTY POLITICS” BLAAIED.

As one of the constables leaned' forward and "touched him oil the ami, Or Armstrong turned to him, and addressing him as. ..“sergeant, ’’ commenced an explanation, the effect or which seemed to. be that he blamed party politics for the incident. His explanation'continued almost' incessantly until he disappeared through the door on to the landing outside the chamber, with a constable ,vt either side of him; Just before he disappeared Or Amstrong shouted in protest against what he termed to be the methods.of party dictatorship. “Anyway an election is not very far off” was his parting shot as the door closed behind him. The council then went into committee to consider other business, but. after it had resumed, on the motion of Cr J. S. Barnett, the action of the Deputy-Alayor, in ordering Cr Armstrong’s removal from the chamber behis refusal to obey the ruling of the chair, was endorsed. Cr J. AV. Beanland, seconding the motion, said that the Deputy-Alayor’s action was the only one possible, by which the dignity of the council could have been maintained. The motion was carried unanimously.