MUNICIPAL SQUABBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 November 1928, Page 7

MUNICIPAL SQUABBLE

NEWMARKET COUNCILLORS AND MAYOR,

AUCKLAND, Nov. 22,

Retorts courteous and otherwise flew across tlio Newmarket Council table at a special meeting this morning. Councillor Gregory moved in effect that the Loans Board be asked to reconsider the £3OOO loan for street improvements, it being pointed out that tine Council had favourable options over the sections required. The Mayor said the motion reminded him of a gambler losing right along the ~ne and making a determined effort to recoup his losses. Councillors were discredited, and they realised that tneir term of office was short and their hope of re-election not very good. The scheme was for the benefit of the few.

Councillor G. E. Smerdon: That abatement is not correct.

The Mayor: It is. Councillor Hardley referred to the Mayor’s statement as highly ridiculous. He suggested that councillors should let the Mayor have his own way and i;e as outrageous as he liked. The ratepayers would sec who was working for them and who was working in a little, pettifogging way.

The Mayor : The ratepayers will be a ole to see who is working for the community and who for a few of their friends. I consider it is a scandal that the ratepayers should have this sort of tiling foisted on them. Councillor Cooper: You put us in this position. I wanted to put the question to tho ratepayers and you refused it. You are not a. man.

The Mayor : Y\ r ithdraw that. Councillor Cooper: If you are not a man, what arc you? You are not a .entleman, anyhow. The Mayor: Withdraw it. Councillor Cooper: 1 will withdraw it, hut there is nothing to stop me ihinking it. The Mayor: You respect the chair. This precious scheme is bordering on corrupt practice, and I say that deliberately. Its proper name is graft. Councillor Gregory: You are one of three.

The Mayor: I want it clear that I am not including any officials in that.

Councillor Smerdon: It was their idiom©. They approved it. The Mayor: The scheme is merely Unvested interests in which some of the councillors are interested. Councillor Hardley: You say that a road to run parallel with Broadway is graft.

The Mayor said there might lie less talk if the ratpuyers had had a say. Councillor Cooper had been as much against it ns the speaker had hceu until the councillor brought a section in the area.

“A lie, a lie,” shouted Councillor Cooper. Councillor Hardley: I will put up £IOO to £lO that you can’t prove that. The Mayor: That is all eyewash.

The Mayor and Councillor Hardley stood up and waved their fingers at each other, each talking the other down. “It’s a lie, and you know it,” finally got in Councillor Hardley. “It has all been sheer downright cussednoss on your part.” Councillor Hardley, turning to tho other councillors:. For goodness sake let us contribute something and send nun (the Mayor) round the world to broaden his mind. A man who won’t agree to a different road like this is a fool and a stubborn ass.

The Mayor and Councillor Cooper then indulged in a talking-down competition.

Councillor Cooper: The scheme was brought down by the .town clerk, engineer and inspector. The Mayor : It was not. Councillor Cooper: Sit down and don’t tell lies.

“How dare you speak to me like that?” said the Mayor.

Councillor Cooper said something alxnit putting up £IOO to nothing to disprove the Mayor’s statement about his buying of a section and then changing his mind. The Mayor: You said something about putting up £IOOO once. Councillor Cooper: Of course, you must bring up that. Go on, you big kid.

This closed the discussion on this ]K)int, and the motion was carried, tho Mayor and Councillor Mountain voting against it.