CORRESPONDENCE.

Lake County Press, Issue 2791, 26 June 1919, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

[We do not identify ourselves with the opinions of our correspondents].

The Mayor's Resignation. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Eeplying to Mr Penglase's letter, which appeared in your issuo of 12th inst., I can only say that I asked Mr Fenglase to take the ohair and say a few words of welcome to returned soldiers, calling on myself or other gentlemen on the platform to say a few words, and myself, as President of the Reception Committee, to present medals to our returned boys, as has been the usual custom for the past three years or so. I did not then think or know that Mr Penglase, having being elected Mayor, had the right to dictate and control the KeceptioD Committee's proceedings, and seeing that Mr Penglase was neither chairman nor even a member of the Reception Committee. I may say that I regret very much that Mr Penglase regarded my action as a slight upon himself. I thought that in asking him as Mayor to' take the chair and open proceedings that I was extending the usual courtesy and doing the correct thing. In any case, I do not see that my action was so serious as to cause Mr Penglase to resign his position as our chief citizen. During the past four and ahalf years it has been my pride and privilege to take part in honouring our brave boys both on their leaving our district and welcoming those who were spared to return to us. I have no objection to hand over full control to whoever may be elected Mayor, but will claim the right to take part in the proceedings as President of the tacal Reception Committee, not caring at all when or where I come in so long as I have a privilege of saying a few words of welcome to our boys who are returning.—l am, etc, G. 11. Romans, Chairman Reception Committee. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—ln roply to letter appearing in Couuty Press of 12th inst., written by Mr Pengiase to Arrow Borough Council, stat-

ing some of his reasons for resigning from the position of Mayor of this Borough, I beg to state that the reasons given by Mr Penglase are certainly a misstatement of facts. He was asked to preside at the Erst reception held here after he became Mayor but declined, his reason for doing so being that he did not consider himself capable, but he agreed to be on the platform and say a few words, and then ask the Mayoress to present the medals to our guests. I pointed out to him that the presentation of medals to returning soldiers had been done by our president, Mr G. H. Romans, ever since the inception of the receptions here, and it was not at all likely to be altered, but if an alteration was to be made, by inviting a lady to present or pin on these medals, it would only be courteous to ask the president's wife to do so. The above is a true statement of Mr Penglase's grievance, in so far as the Soldiers' Reception Committee, or its president or secretary, are concerned. I think Mr Penglase had every consideration shown him both by Mr Romans and myself, but he is evidently labouring under a mistaken idea of the powers and rights of the chief citizen of a borough or city. Had it been our custom in the past to have the Mayor as president of the Returned Soldiers' Reception Committee, he may have had reason to complain ; but in July 6th, 1917, Mr McKibbin, who was then Mayor of Arrowtown and also President of Arrow Branch of War Funds Association (in which Association the Soldiers' Reception Committee was merged), resigned the position of President, and on the motion of the late Mr G. D. Baird, seconded by Mr R. M. Paterson, Mr G. H. Romans was unanimously elected President, it being stated at the time that although Mr Romans had not been President previous to his election, he had acted as 9iirh at nearly all functions held in connection with our soldiers. Now, Ido not think (to say the least) that it was good taste on the part of a newly-elected Mayor to put forward such poor reasons for his resignation. With reference to the legal respect of rights of Mayors, as shown in the same issue of your paper, I would point out that we are not a committee appointed by citizens of this Borough, but by the whole district, so that there is no similarity in the case quoted. The only part of the legal ruling (as mentioned above) whioh, in my opinion, applies and seems to me to be a parallel case, is where it states : "If the Governor-general should call a meeting of the Dominion he would take the chair," he being bead of the Dominion. Likewise our President (Mr G. H. Romans), being the head of this district so far as the reception of our returned soldiers is concerned, having been elected to that position by the public, I claim that according to the ruling quoted he has the right to preside, and it was a courteous action on his part te invite the Mayor to do so, but certainly it was not the Mayor's right. With reference to the grievance against me as Town Clerk re hire of hall. At the first meeting of Arrow Borough Council, Mr Penglase, as Mayor, asked who had let the hall, and I told him I had done so, it being one of my duties. This explanation wa3 accepted by him, and no more was said about it. Yet, on the face of this, Mr Penglase gives as one of his reasons for resigning that the Town Clerk had let the hall without consulting tne Mayor or Council. It seems to me to be a pity that the matter of precedency in the welcome to our returning soldiers should have been made a cause of dispute. But I feel that th-< public of this district and borough, and I know the Reception Committee, are with me in saying that the only friction is that made by Mr Penglase, and I trust that no soldier or other person will conclude that there is a split in onr committee. We are just as anxious to show that we honour the lads still to come home as we were the first one to return.— I am, etc., J NO. FOBBBS, Secretary Reception Committee.