COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 712, 14 October 1914, Page 5

COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE.

ALLEGED SUPPRESSION

COUNCILLOR AND MAYOR. The method iuf dealing with Borouhg Council correspondence was the subject of a discussion at the Borough Council meeting on Monday night when Cr Graham in moving the resolution of which he had given notice, that al< correspondence he placed on the Council table. He complained that under existing methods matter j could be suppressed without the knowledge of the Council. In connection with the mat-er, Cr Graham said an account had been placsd before the Finance Committed on his behall. Ho learned that the Mayor had been deputed fco Gee him concerning the matter, and had not done go. Subsequently a letter had been written from the Council repudiating the account without hia —the speaker'*— knowledge. This las a prejudicial effect on him a* the matter wib in the hands of the people to whom ho had assigned his books this hnd been done behind his back and whh moot unBritieh. Other cases of (suppression were in regard to the Hospital monies and to tlio Pomaruy .building permit. In replying to Cr Graham, tho

Mayor said,ha regretted extremely tnat such a matter had beon brought up in connection with tho motion. Dealing with the motion ho did »n»t think ic practicable. Every councillor had full Bccess to every document in the Council's charge ar.d pi'tactieally the whnlo of the correspondence was placed before the meeting. They had to conduct their business on a reasonable system. Unless the councillors had any suspicion that information wes being withheld from any councillor, and ha J no, confidence in the Mayor and clerk, there was 110 reason for ;.tha motion. If thera wbs any reason thd sooner they weru got rid of the better. Regarding the complaint of.Cr Graham on which the tnotion was based, the Mayor said ho had no idea that any claim was to be made by either of the gentlemen who made the estimate of valuation for the river deviation scheme. Cr Graham wets asked to give his idea of valuation with a view to helping the Council in the ordinary way in a public matter. 'When the account came before tho Finance Committee he—the speakerhad told the the same thine. Ha had been deputed to Ben Gr Graham about the matter, but he had not spoken of it considering it rather a delicate matter. He thought the best way was to say nothing of it and let it die out, arid had not the faintest idea any injury would be done becauEe of this. His course had been directed entirely out of co'.mi'lerntiou for Cr Grrthnm.

Cr Graham, in replying, tin id the Btirig to him vs-as that a letter was sent from the town clerk's office repudiating! the account to the titißij^noea and the inference £wan that ho woa putting amounts on his hooka which were incorrect. Had fcho matter boon put before him in any way, cither in open Council or privately, ho would have known what to do. If tho Council had thoughtgthe charge too high he was prepared to meet thorn.

The motion on being pui was loat

The suggestion of Cr Moatyn Jones that a correspondence lionk bo kept waa adopted.