OPOTIKI TROUBLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21553, 26 July 1933, Page 10

OPOTIKI TROUBLE

AFFAIRS OF BOROUGH MORE COUNCIL DISSENSION MEETING ENDS ABRUPTLY RULING BY THE MAYOR [UY 1 KI.KCiKAPII —OWN COlill MS IT. NOKN't'] OPOTIKI. Tuesday The monthly meeting ot the Opotiki Borough Council this evening again ended abruptly, the Mayor, Mr. G. S. Moody, refusing to put a motion proposed by Mr. S. Shalloon. There was a large attendance of the public and feeling throughout the meeting was tense. Trouble first arose when the minutes oF the previous ordinary meeting and three special meetings had been read and the Mayor asked for a motion confirming them. Mr. A. Anderson asked for several to be made and requested that the legal opinion obtained by the Mayor and read by the clerk at a meeting 011 July IS should be laid 011 the table and embodied in the minutes. The Mayor gave his ruling that the legal opinion should not be laid on the table or included in the minutes. Mr. J. J- Moody agreed with ihe contention of Mr. Anderson, but Mr. J. Main considered the opinion was the property of the Mayor. Refusal to Put Motion Mr. Anderson then moved that the legal opinion be inserted in tho minutes. Mr. Shalfoon seconded this, but the Mayor refused to put the notion. Mr. Shalfoon then moved that the alterations in the minutes of the meeting of July 18 be confirmed, Jind the motion was carried. When tho accounts were presented to be passed for payment, Mr. Shalfoon moved that they be passed, with the exception of items of i'J-i 14s, £/l Js od and £4 18s 3d, showing as owing to the clerk, Mr. C. H. Fleming, these items being for commission. Mr. Shalfoon said he wanted to know why the Mayor and Mr. Main had certified the amounts without considering them. Air. F. J. Short explained that tho items had accrued since 11)29 and that nothing had been paid. The clerk stated that he had been instructed to set down all accounts owing by the council, and had done so. He refused to give further details as they had been given at a previous meeting. Mr. Shalfoon's motion was carried. On the suggestion of Mr. Shalfoon, it «as agreed to hold a special meeting to deal with the disputed items next Tuesday evening. Objection to Letter "When the outward correspondence was dealt with, a letter was read canCelling all notices of the termination of employment of certain members of the staff which had previously been given. Mr. Shalfoon objected to tho confirmation of the letter, alleging that the Mayor had exceeded his powers. The objection was supported by Messrs. Anderson, Patterson, Webb and J. J. Moody. A motion by Mr. Shalfoon that the letter be not confirmed was carried. Mr. Shalfoon then asked why applications received for the positions of foreman and ranger had not been read in the inward correspondence, the clerk replying that he did not consider them ns correspondence. The Mayor said applications should not be read until the question of positions, salaries and wages had been settled. When Mr. Shalfoon demanded that the applications be read, the Mayor refusedAnother Disputed Issue It was reported that tenders for two leases had been received and the Mayor suggested that they should bo read, Mr. Shalfoon demanding that the applications for the positions of ranger nnd foreman bo also read. Mr. Short objected to delaying the question of the leases and then rose to upeak to a notice of motion, but Mr. Shalfoon raised a point of order, stating that the correspondence had not been concluded. He declared that the Mayor was now attempting to "take the law into his own hands." Instructed by the Mayor to continue, Mr. Short then said that as the Mayor had been served with a notice that Court action would bo taken, ho asked for leave to withhold his notice of motion until the Court proceedings had coreluded. The. Mayor granted the request. Mr. Shalloon then stated that unless tho Mayor agreed to rend the applications for the position of foreman and ranger, his party would not agree to pay any salaries to the men who lincl been dismissed, and moved to that effect. Mr. Anderson seconded the motion. The Mayor announced that the resolution was new business, refused to put the motion, and declared the meetjug closed.