A COUNCILLOR REPLIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1937, Page 5

A COUNCILLOR REPLIES.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —AY ill you permit me to correct a, number of iiiaccuracies contained in Mr John Murdochs fetter . which appeared in your issue of yesterday.

Mr Murdoch states that the Ministers’ visits “were unofficial visits, simply country calls.” The member for the district notified, the Town Clerk by telegram of the Minister of Railways in fention of being in, Ross on a certain date. What more needs to be done to constitute a Minister’s visit “official” ? or to differentiate it from a “simple country call”? It may be true that no special meetings of councillors were called in the neighbouring Boroughs to meet tho Minister, hut did not the respective Mayors, as in duty bound, notify all councillors so that they could be present if they wished? This Mr Murdoch carefully refrained from doing. Councillor Upjohn mentioned Miss •Jean Batten’s visit to Ross. On that occasion Air Murdoch was severely castigated by a person who is not a Councillor for making tho opening speech of Welcome and immediately calling on Miss Batten to reply without giving anyone else a Chance to speak although with his approval, other speakers had been arranged for. ■ '

The statement that “another Councillor withdrew his remarks’’ and that Councillor May “saw hisk mistake” are both untrue.

The Standing Order which Mr Murdoch quotes, is not that of the Ross Borough Council but is to be found in the Standing Orders of the Christchurch City Council. Likening Air Murdoch to Alussolini may not hav e been very original but I feel it was apt and. his* assurance that he has no wish to don a blackshirt should do miich to dispel local apprehensions. Air Murdoch will forgive mo for mentioning that if one wishes to receive gentlemanly treatment it is very necessary to set a good example. I am, etc. ■ . . K. 0. AIAY. Ross, February 18.