COUNCILLOR'S ACTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19991, 6 July 1928, Page 13

COUNCILLOR'S ACTIONS.

"SHOULD CLEAR HIMSELF."

MR. MURRAY AND CIVIC SQUARE

COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION Taking the view that serious imputations were made against Mr. W. H- Murray, a member of the council, in a statement re cently forwarded by Mr. 11. Jaffe to the Mayor, Mr. G.' Baildon, tho Aucklanc City Council expressed tho opinion lasl evening that Mr. Murray should promptly take steps to clear himself. A recommendation to that effect wa: made by tho Finance Committee, whicl had considered Mr. Jaffe's statement, rea( at the last council meeting, relating ti tho Civic Square leases. Tho recommend at ion was adopted without discussion. Commenting on Mr. Jaffo's statement tho city solicitor, Mr. J. Stanton, said:— "The statement alleges a series of inter views between Mr. Jaffo on the one sid and Mr. Murray and, at tho latter's sug geslion, Mr. J. R. Lundon, on tho other These interviews were sought, it is said by Mr. Murray, and at them promises c assistance were offered to Mr. Jaffe b; Mr. Murray, in his capacity as a council lor, in connection with Mr. Jaffe's negotia tions with the council. Coupled wit! these offers were requests for contribu tions from Mr. Jaffe to certain funds bein| raised to assist Mr. Murray in the inquir into council matters promoted by him The statement alleges an indication by Mi Murray that, if theso contributions wer forthcoming, his assistance as a counciLlo would bo given, but, if not, his oppositioi would bo encountered. Question of Investigation. "If the statement is a true one, thei Mr. Murray has obviously been guilty o a serious breach of public duty and o conduct which the council must emphatic ally condemn, and use all its powers h prevent and discourage," added Mr. Stan ton. "In the interests of the purity o its own administration, the council i deeply concerned to know whether th statement is true or not, and would b justified in investigating the facts, eithe by itself or through a committee." Should the council come to the coi: elusion that tho facts were as alleged, th question of further definite acfion by i was a somewhat difficult one," Mr. Stan ton said. "In England the Public Bodie Corrupt Practices Act, 1889, dealt speci fically with such matters, but no simila provision had been enacted in New Zea land. A further remedy possessed by coi porations in England was the right to re movo members for misconduct, bu whether a similar power was vested ii corporations in New Zealand did not ap pear to have been judicially considered Otherwise, the only grounds upon whicl a city councillor could be removed wer those set out in section 40 of the Muni cipal Corporations Act, and such conduc as alleged against Mr. Murray did no within that socfion.

Desirability of Legislation. "I note in the statement some remarks attributed to Mr. Lundon, which impute dishonest and improper conduct to the Mayor and the town clerk," concluded Mr. Stanton. "If the words are proved as alleged, they would probably be actionable as a slander upon these two individuals in connection with their respective offices, but this, no doubt, is a matter for consideration by the persons concerned."

The Finance Committee advised that it had carefully considered Mr. Jaffe's statement, and felt it made a serious imputation against Mr. Murray. For the sake of the honour of civic administration, apart from auy personal considerations, the committee felt Mr. Murray should promptly take steps to clear himself. The committee also recommended that tho council should ask the Government to enact legislation similar to that contained in the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act in Britain, so that such charges could be judicially investigated. Both recommendations were adopted.