NEWMARKET DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20111, 23 November 1928, Page 16

NEWMARKET DISPUTE.

MAYOR ATTACKS COUNCIL.

CHARGES OF CORRUPTION.

MEMBERS ASSAIL THE CHAIR. A strong undercurrent of feeling between tho Mayor, Mr. S. Donaldson, and several councillors was evident at a special meeting of the Newmarket Borough Council called yesterday morning by Messrs. G. E. Smerdon, H. Gregory and If. J. Cooper ,to consider tho action of tho Local Government Loans Board in refusing to approvo the proposed loan of £SOOO for tho Morrow Street traffic outlet.

Mr. Gregory moved to tho effect that tlio Loans Board should bo asked to reconsider its decision, tlio council pointing out that the reports of its officers showed tho work was required, and that, while tho timo was not yet opportune to carry out Iho whole town planning scheme, the work would havo to be dono in sections, and that tho council held very favourable options over tho land required for the new road. The motion was seconded by Mr. Cooper.

Tho Mayor: Before we proceed I would like to ask the clerk what options wc hold over properties along the proposed road.

Tho Town Clerk, Mr. If. Wilson: So far as I know they have all expired except one.

Asked by tho Mayor whether any requests or petitions had been received from ratepayers in tho area affected, asking for it to bo declared a special rating area, tho clerk replied there had been none. The Mayor: Tho Streets Committee has assumed tho responsibility without any request from tho.peoplo concerned. Tlio Mayor moved that tho proposal should be deferred until tho lown Planning Board considered tho planning of the district as a whole. "As tho councillors who aro advocating this schemo have lost tlio confidence of tho ratepayers, as shown by tho recent loan poll, the electors should havo the opportunity of returning a new Mayor and councillors in whom they have confidence before further loans aro approved, concluded the Mayor. Tho Mayor's motion was seconded bv Mr. C. N. K. Mountain, and was defeated, only the ' mover and seconder voting for it. " Advocates Discredited."

The Mayor said Ihe resolution itself reminded him of a gambler who had been losing throughout his operations making a last desperate attempt to recoup his losses. The advocates of the scheme stood discredited in the borough. The scheme was not i'or the benefit of the community as a whole, but for a certain section. This statement was described by Mr. Hardlev as ridiculous. The ratepayers would see-who was working in the interests of the borough and who was working in a little pettifogging way. The Mayor: The ratepayers are quite competent to see who is benefiting them and the borough, and who are benefiting themselves and a few of their friends. I consider it an absolute scandal for tho council to try to foist such a schemo on tho ratepayers without trying to put it to a poll. Withdrawal of Remarks. '•you put us in this position," declared Mr. Cooper, amid an uproar. "I wanted the question put to the ratepayers, and you refused. You arc not a man. The Mayor: Withdraw that remark. Mr. Cooper: Well, if you are not a man. what are you? You are not a gentleman. Asked again to withdraw his remark, Mr. Cooper said: "I will withdraw it, but you cannot stop me thinking it." Tho Mayor: 1 state emphatically that it is the feeling of the borough to-day that it is an absolute scandal. This precious scheme veto are trying to foist on Newmarket is bordering on corrupt, practice. It, might be called graft. I want to inako it clear that I do not include the council's staff in this charge. "A scheme for a road to run parallel with Broadway is in your opinion graft," said .Mr. Hardley. "Putting this road through as part of a great scheme to benefit Newmarket is only foolish and corrupt and not necessary, if I understand that, am I correct ?" The Mayor said that if ratepayers weVe to be allowed to vote it might bo all right. Mr. Cooper had been against the scheme until lie had bought a section in the vicinity. Cries of "Liar" were heard from Mr. Cooper and several other councillors, and after (he uproar died down Mr. Hardley offered to lay £IOO to £lO that the Mayor could not prove tho statement. "That is all 'eyewash,' " retorted Ihe Mayor. Threat to Close Meeting. A statement by Mr. Cooper that (he scheme was devised by the town clerk, engineer and inspector was denied by the Mayor, who was advised by Mr. Cooper to "sit down and don't (ell lies." "How dare you speak to me like that?" shouted the Mayor? "You can think what you like, but don't be disrespectful to this chair."

A further argument between the pair led to Mi - . Cooper calling the Mayor a "big kid."

"If you are not going fo control yourself, I will close the meeting," the Mayor threatened.

Mr. Gregory then asked that the motion be put to the meeting, and this was clone, tho motion being carried with two dissentients, the Mayor and Mr. Mountain.

The next, matter before the council was the consideration of the action of the tramway authorities in moving the tramway stopping-places without first consulting tho council. In reply to a request by Mr. Sinerdon as to the authority on which tho alteration was made the clerk stated no correspondence had passed between the tramway authorities and tho council either regarding the triangle or the tramway section since August 18. Dignity of the Council.

After further discussion the Mayor remarked he had heard more threats of the law since n certain councillor look his seat on tho council 18 months ago than ho expected to hear in the rest of his life. Mr. Gregory: I rise to a point of order if you arc referring to me. Tho Mayor: If tho cap fits, wear it. Mr Gregory: You will find they were no threats; thev nro actualities. Your first enso come 3 off on December 12, if you would like to know. Mr. Ilardlev said he thought (lie dignity of the council had not been maintained by having tho tram stops moved in this manner. Whilo tho stops wero whero he had always wanted them, at tho samn titno it savoured of tho discourteous. He belioved authority had been given by tlio Mayor. "You knew the alterations were to bo mado on Saturday and you should havo called your council together at a special meeting and mado it known," declared Mr. Gregory. Mr. Cooper remarked tho thing should havo been dono in a constitutional manner. "I do not mind a thing being dono by tho council, oven if it is against my opinion, as long as it is done in tho proper - way. If theso alterations had been dono in this way and had not suited you (tho Mayor) thero would havo been hell to pay." Tho Mayor: You arc forgetting yourself. Mr. Cooper then withdrew the remark. Mr Cooper's motion was carried, and the council went into committee to bear the borough solicitor's opinion 011 tho action to bo taken.