AVONDALE RESIGNATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 10

AVONDALE RESIGNATIONS

AMALGAMATION SEQUEL, j . ■ MAYOR AND THREE MEMBERS " VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE." ABRUPT END TO MEETING. Following upon the decision of the ratepayers of A von dale to amalgamate with the city, the Mayor of the borough,, Mr. H. Tiarks, and three members of the council, Mr. J. V. Roisterer, Mr. A. Edmiston and Mr. W. Pendlebury, resigned last evening. The position now is that Avondale is without a Mayor, and has a council of six members. Two out of these six will be unable to attend meetings for some time, Mr. W. Manning being in hospital with pneumonia, and Mr. J. -Ellis being away on a trip to the Islands. This may delay the business of the council until elections are held to fill the four vacancies. Since the carrying of the amalgamation poll last Saturday, rumours were circulat ing in the district that something sensational could be expected to happen at the meeting of the council. Accordingly, there was a large attendance of the public. The Mayor arrived a little late. He took his scat and, before any-business had been dealt with, ho made the following statement: " Gentlemen of the council, we have now arrived at the parting of the ways. Last Saturday the electors of Avondale passed what can only logically ho termed a decided vote of no-confidence in the ability of the council to administer satisfactorily the affairs of the borough. After giving the matter careful and serious consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I could not possibly retain the mayoral chair and my self-respect at the same time. As the one is a matter of indifference to me and the other of paramount importance, 1 am tendering my resignation." " Committee Too Precipitate." Mr. Tiarks said he did not desire to dwell on the circumstances. He wished to point out that amalgamation with the city could have been achieved at the end of the present financial year without illfeeling or party strife, had the amalgama- j lion committee not been quite so precipitate in its activities, and thereby had extended both courtesy and consideration | to the council which had only just come | into existence He desired to express I his thanks and appreciation to members |of the council for the help given him j during his short terra of office. At no time had the council been divided and its deliberations had always «been most harmonious. Mr. Tiarks said he had that morning received a deputation from ' the outside staff of the council asking him not to resign. He appreciated their goodwill and loyalty, although he was unable to accede to their request. The Mayor had barely taken his seat when Mr. J. V. Reisterer stood up and said that out of respect to the Mayor he would also resign. He considered the new council had not had a fair chance. He also intimated he would contest the vacant Mayoral seat. Mr. A. Edmiston was the next to resign, saying he would no longer sit with those members of the council who were not loyal to the chair. Objection to Circular. " I will be loyal to Mr. Tiarks to the very end," said Mr. W. Pendlebury. He accused members of the amalgamation committee of not fighting fairly. Waving in his hand a circular regarding rates levied on certain properties in the borough and containing figures which professed to show the same properties would be rated considerably less under city administra tion. he said: " The circular is a deliber ate lie and the figures are absolutely false." He added the only course open to him was to resign. Mr. H. Potter and Mr. J. B. Clark thanked the Mayor for the courtesy he had shown them. Mr. P. Wright said he would take second place to no one in his loyalty to the Mayor, but he considered it his duty to tho ratepayers to retain his seat for the rest of his term. He questioned the loyalty of Mr. Reisterer, who, after agreeing to support the Mayor, had, within a few hours of that agreement, announced right and left that he would he a candidate for the Mayoralty. Considerable cross-talk then ensued between various members of the council as to an alleged " gentlemen's agree inent " entered into by the whole council to support the Mayor by resigning in a body. Mayor and Councillor. Mr. J. W. Kealy said he did not intend to resign, as he recognised he had a duty to perform to the ratepayers. The Mayor; I "quite sqo your point of view, but as you were returned on my shoulders, I thought that if there was one councillor who would follow mo it would he you, Mr. Kealy. It was then moved that the meeting be closed, but an amendment followed that the meeting should adjourn until this evening. Doubt was expressed whether four members could carry on the business of the council, and finally the motion to close the meeting was carried. The Mayor and his three supporters walked out of the council chambers, leav ing the four remaining councillors to do bate tho legality of their position. They were undecided what to do in view of the absence of Mr. Manning and Mr. Ellis, and finally decided to ascertain the legal position.

The amalgamation with the city does not take effect until March 31 next, and until then the affairs of Avondale will have to be administered by the Borough Council. Legally, the Mayor and the three councillors who resigned hold their positions until their successors have been elected.