“COUNCIL SLATED”

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 221, 16 August 1927, Page 2

“COUNCIL SLATED”

COMMENT BY MAYOR. OVER TRAFFIC PROSECUTION CASE. Reference to comment made by counsel appearing for a client, a Feilding resident, who was charged at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning with a breach of the borough by-laws, was made by the Mayor (Mr.A. Ji Graham) at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council. “I was very much surprised,” stated Mr Graham, “to see by to-night’s ‘Standard’ that an official of the borough had failed to notify someone of a breach of a by-law until a month afterwards. It was clearly laid down by the council that immediate notice should be given of the offences; consequently, I am surprised to learn that one of our officials has failed to notify an offender immediately. This . state of affairs cannot go on. If an official of the council considers that a resolution of the council should be disobeyed, I for one would very much like to see that official resign. I would like the chairman of the transit committee to go into this. matter and ascertain who is to blame. It is regrettable to see the council ‘slated’ in court like this. A change is necessary.” Cr. Hodgens, chairman of the transit committee, advised the council that he had that evening received a statement from the traffic manager reading las follows: “You will no doubt be i surprised to read the comment in this [evening’s ‘Standard’ regarding the traffic department. Since the council ' issued instructions for all offenders of (by-laws to be notified without delay, |we have up to the present, done so, | but, unfortunately, the cause of the delay in this case cannot be explained iby us. Our procedure has been when Iwe can procure the offender’s name |and address to immediately notify him, ! but when the owner is an outsider, we have to write to the motor registrar : for his name and address. In this case we had to do this, and then the offender was notified immediately. The delay in procuring the name might have 1 been through Mr Phelan (the writer’s Assistant) not reporting immediately, |or perhaps it was that I had written it out and mislaid it before going to the !typist or possibly overlooked it. Regarding the offender not having been informed as to the full particulars, it has not been our practice to detail the | case other than what is on the summons'. As regards the wrong intersection, this is a mistake which may easily happen, but, fortunately, so far this has been avoided. I might mention that: the offender did not go into the box; his solicitor defended the case on technical points. This showed guilt on his part to a certain .extent and the remarks made by his solicitor were unjustified. To safeguard ngainst any future defence, we will keep everything in duplicate.” The Mayor (to Cr. Hodgens) : lam glad to see that you have already gone into the matter.

The council then passed on to consideration of the next business.