POLICE GUARD DOOR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 121, 20 April 1944, Page 2

POLICE GUARD DOOR

EDUCATION BOARD MEETING. WELLINGTON, April 20. Police officers were called to guard the door of the Wellington Education Board's meeting room yesterday afternoon for the purpose of preventing Colonel T. W. McDonald, one of the Horowllenua ward members, from entering the room. He had been suspended, as the board chairman, Mr W. V. Dyer, put it, "for disorderly conduct",'but had refused to submit to being disciplined in this way. The suspension was for the duration of the meeting. There had been, it is stated, a rathei stormy session when the education board* met in committee on Tuesday night. At one stage Colonel McDonald was ruled out of order by the chairman and, when he refused to acquiesce in this, was suspended for the whole meeting "for disorderly conduct", the voting being 13 to' 3. The board's adjourned meeting was resumed at 9 a.m. yesterday. After the customary opening with the Lord's Prayer, Colonel McDonald, who had taken his place at the board table, was informed that he was still under suspension and was asked to withdraw. However, ho stated his firm intention of standing his ground, and said he would have to be "carried out" or forcibly removed, before he would MEETING ADJOURNED. The board had no precedent for taking positive action again.-l a member who refused to comply with its direction, and, deciding that it could not proceed with its business while the suspended member remained, it went into recess to consider al tcrnativo action, the meeting adjourned till 2 p.m. Steps were, meanwhile taken to determine what physical action, if any, could be taken to restrain Hie recalcitrant member. Legal advice was obtained, nnd thi- police auth orities were consulted, as Colonel McDonald had plainly intimated that he would b« back again at 2 P-m. When members of the board arrived to resume the meeting, they found the door locked, but at 2 p.m. it was opened to admit them, after two representatives of the law had arrived.

Colonel McDonald returned, but was in forme' 1 that he would not be permitted to enter the boardroom and that the polico were there to .see that he did not. Staling that he had no intention of breaking the law, Colonel McDonald said he would not attempt to enter, but would assert, his right to remain on the board's premises. Ho asked Mr T. K, Moody to get hi* papers for him from the room, and this was done. VIGIL AT DOOR. With the exception of a short period while he went away to obtain a cup of coffee, Colonel McDonald 6taycd near "the boardroom, while a police sergeant and a constable, with the board secretary, Mr W. I. Deavoll, maintained vigil at the door. This state of affairs continued till the board concluded its business. The portals of the boardroom were under police surveillance for more than four hours, and for a long period, almost till the meeting terminated, Colonel McDonald was sitting on a chair in a strategical position commanding the entrance. He was still outside the door, together with a constable, when the meeting ended at 6.25 p.m. When the board rose he walked into the room and announced, "Freedom at last."

During the afternoon Colonel McDonald handed to the board's secretary a letter in which he sought full details of the charges alleged against him in connection with the proceedings at the meeting, and a copy of the resolutions adopted in connection with the disciplinary action taken. The board agreed to provide Colonel McDonald with a statement, which he said he required in order to obtain a solicitor's opinion.