DEVONPORT IMPASSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18455, 19 July 1923, Page 9

DEVONPORT IMPASSE.

m — : —-——' ■■' MAYOR REMAINS FIRMREFUSES TO ACCEPT MOTION LIVELY COUNCIL DISCUSSION The air was somewhat electric at times ■•■..,.,/..; at the meeting of the Devonport Borough ; : Council last evening, when the notice of motion standing in the name of. Mr. E. ■■■.:, ■..-. -/ H. Little came before the meeting. , ; ;:,i : The unusual interest that has-been .. aroused in the marine suburb over the impasse that had arisen "regarding the ' / ■>. administration of borough affairs was reflected in the large attendance of resi- ; dents. Probably no fewer than sixty were present, the accommodation of the council chamber biiing taxed to its utmost, and many had to stand. The Mayor, Mr. T. Lamont, presided, there being present: Messrs. E. AJdridge, A. Bartley, S. Bond, A. V. Fraer, J. Hislop, S. W. Luxford, E. H. Little, J. Mays, and W. Perry-Taylor. Mr. Little's notice of motion referred to certain statements made by the Mayor . at a meeting held in the Masonic Hall. Devonport, on June 28. The meeting had been called by the Mayor with the ob- | ject of informing the ratepayers as to the progress of the borough. It was alleged that the personal integrity of the members of the council, who were on the late council, had been impugned, and their loyalty to the ratepayers called in question, and the notice of motion was to the effect that the Mayor be asked to retract his statements and apologise. Before Mr. Little could get to hisi feet to put his motion, Mr. Aldridge raised a point of order, on the ground that the motion about to be put was at variance with the standing orders, because it wrongly. presumed to pass judgment on a matter that was outside the jurisdiction of the council. Mr. Aldridge maintained . that the Mayor, and the Mayor alone, should decide -what should be put to the council as a motion. Authorities Quoted. Mr. Aldridge contended, as the Mayor was chosen by the people and not elected . from the council, that the council had not the right to reject or censure., the Mayor; certainly not on statements that were not delivered ex cathedra. " Ouisido the precincts of the council chamber this right of free speech applied. In support of his contention, Mr. Aldridge quoted the authority of the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, lecturer on chairmanship to the .Workers' Educational Association, that the Mayor was not answerable to the council, but \ to the ratepayers. J Professor R. M. Algie, law lecturer . at the Auckland University College, had likewise stated that the Mayor was quite within his rights in refusing to allow the notice of motion to be put. Mr. Fraer interjected on the matter of the time limit, when the Mayor • hotly retorted: " One at a time, please." Mr. Fraer: You vourself are such a .* ' stickler, the councillor has alreay ex- , ceeded his ten minutes.

Mr. Aldridgo concluded an energetic speech by remarking that the motion, if put, would be establishing an evil and iniquitous precedent. •'•'-■■

Supreme Court Judgment Relied . Upon. Mr. Hislop heartily supported the last speaker. Ho said he . had yet to learn that the Mayor was amenable to the council for any remarks ho had made. Mr. Little, he continued, placed himself in a very serious position. It was a very deplorable; state of affairs. Mr. Hislop quoted the authority of Mr. R. McVeagh, who stated he had no hesitation in saying that, the Mayor wa3 not entitled to put the. notice of motion. The Mayor: I have no intention of accepting this notice of motion. ; He quoted the opinion of the late Sir Joshua Williams, in a judgment delivered over 30 years ago. in a similar case, in which the Mayor refused to accept the motion, , and left the chair. He also quoted the opinion of an ex-Prime Minister and an' ex-Speaker .of the > House. i " I do not do things haphazard . or at random," continued Mr. Lamont.

Mr. Fraer: You did not speak haphazard at the public meeting, did you ? The ; Mayor, continuing, said he fe did,. ; not see l how the passing of such a motion could forward the affairs of the municipality. "We therefore pass to the next, business." , ■ • : '.: : V;.w ,» '■. ;-> ; : '

"Is no one to be allowed to speak?"' querieo a \ councillor ? -: . -'■*. British • fair ;' play.' •;.!': interjected ? Mr. Bond. '•"'■: ; "'ib'-'- .1 • m ; At a later stage when a notice of motion ; standing in Mr. Fraer's name regarding a reduction in charges for water supply, came up, Mr. ; Fraer waa proceeding to speak at some length, when tha Mayor hotly interjected "No nasty in- • sinuations; put your motion and 'have done with it. .-:, ; ;? :::>'••?■•;■' ;?J^'

Mr. Fraer: If I bring forward a resolution in a legitimate way I should rather be congratulated.

MA YOB'S ATTITUDE ENDORSED.

RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION.

The positidh created in - the .Borough Council was considered at the last meeting f of the North Devonport Ratepayers*'ana Residents' Association; Mr. l\ J. Staples '■ presiding. An invitation " had been sent to the seven members who had walked out of the last council meeting, .. but -they ■ had J declined on the grounds that the matter was sub' judice.. ]■'_■-■ The association endorsed the, resolution, of the recent public meeting v calling eta the seven members to resign. ;,. ][(; was also decided that the following resolution be signed by all the members of the association and presented {■ to the Mayor:—" wish to show our appreciation of your action in coming 'j before the ratepayers at the recent public meeting and imparting the information as to the state of municipal affairs. - We also regret the unseemly action of councillors at the last meeting of the council, 'be-: lieving as we do that your methods'- of administration are in the best interests of the borough." •'-"• ~-;;;.: ;