MURRAY INQUIRY COSTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20234, 19 April 1929, Page 12

MURRAY INQUIRY COSTS.

SUM OF £589 INVOLVED

DISCUSSION BY THE COUNCIL

A return showing the cost of the inquiry into the charges made by Mr. W. 11. Murray was presented to (he Auckland City Council last evening. Officers' time was assessed at £465 Is lid, material at £2l 12s, and (he city solicitors' costs £lO5. The town clerk,Mr. J. S. Brigham, said that in addition to the foregoing amounts, which (otalled £589 13s lid, the expenditure actually incurred through loss of time by (lie members of the outdoor staff would run into some hundreds of pounds. Mr. Murray said that on one item alone of council expenditure he had saved more than £SOO. That was for spawls. "You have not saved threepence," Mr. E. J. Phelan interjected. Mr. Murray also contended (hat he had been instrumental in getting kerbs and pitchers for 7J,d instead of Is Id, as was paid previously. "For sheer audacity that, 'takes the cake,' " Mr. Phelan said. Mr. Murray had not the slightest thing to do with obtaining (lie kerbs and pitchers at ft cheaper rate. That was the result of the efforts made by a special committee set up on the ino(ion of the speaker. Mr. T. Bloodworth said the suggestions and insinuations against the council and its officers were striking at the foundation of municipal government. The methods adopted by Mr. Murray were likely to bring about conditions which he did not contemplate. Mr. S. I. Crookes said that Mr. Blood.worth had raised the debate to such a high plane that he felt it his duty to draw the council's attention to Mr. Bloodworth's statement in another place that the present council was the most futile, incapable and disastrous council the city had had for many years. "There is no insinuation about that," Mr. Bloodworth said Later, he said that in the statements quoted lie had not mentioned any individual councillor. He had spoken of the council as a whole. When Mr. Murray asked for the right to reply the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, said "That is absolute cheek." All Mr. Murray's charges had been knocked out, and it was quite easy to hurst any little balloon lie raised.