SEQUEL TO ROBBERY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 10 August 1928, Page 6

SEQUEL TO ROBBERY

AT MOTUEKA BOROUGH OFFICE

56&g£QC!ftNf ACTMW- B¥ THE

MAYOR

NOT ENDORSED BY COUNCIL

DISCUSSION AT SPECIAL

MEETING

At the monthly meeting of the Borough Council held on Tuesday evening after the correspondence had been dealt with, a letter from Councillor' Smith tendering his resignation was read. Councillor Smith, speaking in support of his letter, stated that the forwarding of his resignation appeared to him to be the only tangible form of protest that he could lodge against the unfair treatment, meted out to him by his fellow:councillors in refraining from acquainting him on Monday, 16th July, of the fact that a robbery had taken' place at the Council Chambers. Not until Tuesday afternoon had he any know-. ledge of the theft, and .then he did not receive the information through the proper channel. He was not in accord with the way the situation had beeii handled at the time the robbery was discovered; and what he took most exception: to was a conference of councillors, which was held on the footpath outside the Council Chambers on Friday, 20th July. Although ho was standing near by lie had not' been asked to join. «

Councillor Wratt (Deputy-Mayor) explained that he had called a full' meeting of, the Council on Monday evening, -•l6th July, iCouncillor Smith being linkable' to attend owing'to illness. 'He (Councillor [Wratt) very much regretted the fact that Councillor Smith had not been informed of the robbery, and if he had thought that there was any likelihood of misunderstanding he would have made it his personal business to acquaint Councillor Smith on Tuesday of what had transpired on the Monday. '" Councillor. Clay expressed himself quite satisfied with the action taken by the deputy-Mayor and councillors on the particular occasion, and did not think they were justified nor that it would have been a kind action to* trouble a sick man with worrying details of the theft. With regard to passing Councillor" Smith on the Monday he was not aware that he, had done so. :'.'.■'

Councillors Staples and Boyes said they would have been in the dark quite as much as Councillor Smith had they not attended Monday night's meeting. ; Councillor 'Canton expressed the hope that Councillor Smith would reconsider his decision to resign. • \ The. Mayor endorsed the remarks'' and added that there were, a number of important matters to be gone on with, with which Councillor Smith was closely associated.

Councillor Smith said that his association with'the Council had been an education.to him; and .whatever he had done for the Borough he had been pleased to do. If he was sure that he had the confidence of all the councillors then he would give the question consideration. The Borough's business should be brought to the Council table and there, only discussed fairly and squarely by all members. N

.>;.'After being again pressed to reconsider his resignation Councillor Smith decided to remain in office.until the end of his term, provided it was the unanimous -wish of the councillors. H

The Mayor said that his position was somewhat' similar to Councillor Smith's. He had hot' been promptly advised of the robbery and on his return from Wellington his action in suspending the office staff failed to receive the support of the councillors, which was tantamount to a vote of no-confidence. To put;his case before the public he'had prepared the following report: , "In view'of ;riiy former, letter it is necessary that I should review my posi- ! ti'on. with the Council and the. reasons | for, my intention to resign. . The theft of the borough's funds apparently took place on the 14th or 15th July, as you I are all aware. 1/left Motueka at 2.30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 14th for Wellington, and was there on • important companies' business until the 19th,-ar-riving back in Motueka on Friday, 20th. I knew nothing of. the robbery until Wednesday, 18th July. - That morning I received an urgent telegrapi from the Borough solicitors (Messrs Easton- and Nicholson) advising me-* of the theft. Subsequently a telegram confirming that advice came from the deputv-Mayor (Mr

t E. Wratt). I had ah important'meeting Unit night and was unable In catch Mm steamer. I .postponed a)l other business and caught Thursday night's boat, arriving hero on Friday morning, 20th July. Immediately on arrival I consulted the borough'solicitors and was advised the'course to follow. Thereupon Ij consulted, Councillor. Smith, the, first; councillor I met, and immediately, at* t&id'ed at. tho ftorotigh' Council Cham-, heirs '-and .suspended the staff tempo™ l ,'- 1 ily, until such time is, 1 the whole posi\ tioij was investigated.' Councillors who were' present at the time of my suspension of the staff were Councillors Smith and Clay, and before the stall' retired, Councillors Staples and Boyes arrived. I informed them of what had been done and no councillor raised any objection. "In the presence of the staff, Coun- . cillor Clay and 1 checked the cash and, • installed.'the records and then looked over the keys, cash and bank deposit book; and with Councillor Clay attended . the Bank and deposited the money then |n hand. After banking 1 went to i .Messrs Easton and Nicholson and deposited the keys and bank deposit book, requesting Mr Nicholson to attend a special meeting to be held that afternoon, which was subsequently postponed until the evening, owing to the absence of the deputy-Mayor. The bank deposit book disclosed the fact that the last banking by the staff was done on . the 3rd July, 14 days previously. "A full meeting of,the Council was held tui the evening of the 17th July (the Borough solicitor being in attendance). The following resolutions had been passed, I, ascertained, during my absence on KTbnday, 16th July, the levelling of the day when the robbery was discovered #(1) That banking must be done daily ; (2) that applications be called for the position,of town clerk '•At the special meeting on tlie 4Uin July I e*>laine'd my reasons again lor suspending the staff and moved a resolution to confirm same, the Borough solicitor advising the, Council;. that 1 had •■ acted on- his advice.• Alter considerable .Councillors Boyes and Staples stated that they could not vote for or against the proposition until they had had time to consider same, and the meeting was postponed o'clock noon Saturday, 21st July. Aitei Councillor Clay had had a conference with all the councillors, except Councillor Smith and myself on-.tlttitag outside the Council Chambers, the Council meeting was held and the resolution proposed to confirm, my actum.;mUq fie meeting. The .Borough solicitor who was present, advised the Council. to pass same. The propositiorf was lost all councillors excepting Councillor Smith and myself voting against it. Councillor. Wratt then moved, seconded by Councillor Boyes, that 1 the staft.be immediately reinstated, commencing their dufe on the Monday. This resolution was passed, all councillors, excepting Councillor Smith and myself , voting for it; we against it. ''ln view of the actio? of the opposing councillors (notwithstanding the advibe of the Borough solicitors) amount--ing virtually to a vote, of'no-confidence in me as mayor, I gave notice that I ■woulcl resign, after Councillor Smith had also intimated that he .intended to resign. I subsequently confirmed .the intimation of my intention to *f g»"I omitted to mention that at tlie original specialmeeting I demanded an explanation of why I had not beent not., • fied, as Mayor, by my colleagues of the robbery immediately' same . was asceitained.* The explanation given by the deputy-Mayor was that the information was withheld from me at the request of the local police, although Wratt ultimately disregarded, the police directions and wired me on Wednesday. In view of this explanation, I was compelled to lodge a .complaint in the proper I quarters. It is unnecessary for me to review my reasons for. this-but I coil- < sider my colleagues ,cn the Council ab- • isolutely failed .in their duty to me as | I Mayor, and the ratepayers whose trus- .•■ tees of their money we are, m not immediately informing me of the- tneit..AS . the matter was one of official business,, ■ of which the ratepayers had placed me I in control as Mayor, their action in the • matter was on a par with the refusal , to confirm the resolution of my action suspending the staff My action in suspending the staff is that followed in all concerns, and because 1 am satisfied' that there was negligence in ' the discharge of their duties as follows: ~ (1) The staff was fully aware of a shortage in funds arising out of an omission to regularly bank in. the prior town clerk's time; (2) eleven days had elapsed since the last banking; (3) one member of the staff in charge of the funds passes the bank door several times daily; (4) the Council in my absence, By their'own resolutions, were clearly satisfied that the staff ,had been careless. ■..: , '• "It ;?. only necessary; for me to point

out that in all - matters relating to tlie conduct of the investigation of the theft the deputy-Mayor and Councillor Clay have taken an active part in tho matter and none of their actions have been confirmed by resolution of the Council. 'Jj'hoy not only neglected to notify me of the robbery, but' withhold the information from their fellow-councillors who \yere resident ,in. tho Borough, cm tho (jlatc of the yqbbeey. "I,have but briefly explained matters as I feel that the ratepayers are entitled to a |ull explanation and the true facts of the position. Since I intimated my intention to resign it has become public property, and 1 have been, approached by numerous citizens, ratepayers and others holding considerable stake in the borough and interests in its affairs and requostod by them, individually and collectively to sink my own personal I feelings in the matter, and'in their interests and that of tho Borough to retain my position as mayor. Under this pressure and in those interests alone "f have decided that to lodge my resignation I would not be acting properly and fairly to the 287 ratepayers who placed me in the mayoral chair., Accordingly I have at the above requests and for the, above reasons,,decided to cany on and fully perform my duties during tho remaining term of my office, and if necessary test this matter by the vote of the ratepayers of the Borough," Councillor Wratt stated that it had been the practice to hank fortnightly and he considered that the councillors should share the blame with the town clerk. • Regarding the suspension of the office staff, he was .of the opinion that the Mayor should have firstly consulted the councillors before taking action. . Councillor Clay contended that tho Mayoiv-who had said that ho-would suspend the staff by virtue of his office as chief magistrate of the Borough, had oxceeded his powers. • The hour being near midnight the Mayor closed the discussion.