COUNCILLOR RETIRES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21804, 19 May 1934, Page 12

COUNCILLOR RETIRES

"STAR CHAMBER METHODS" REQUEST FOR INFORMATION [by TUIjIiCIIAPHI—I'RESS 1 —I'RESS ASSOCIATION | WELLINGTON, Friday Saying that hu refused to sit in a Star Chamber, Mr. P. M. Butler walked out of a meeting of the Wellington City Council as a protest against what he described as the refusal of an ordinary member's right to be given information to which ho confended any councillor was entitled. The dispute arose when Mr. Butler asked the Mayor, Mr. 'l. C. A. Hislop, whether the information he had previously sought was now available. It related to the question of co-ordina-tion between various departments of the city engineer's office. Mr. 'Hislop read a prepared reply from an officer of the council. Mr. Butler said the information he desired had still not been furnished. "There must be a limit to the information which a member of the council is entitled to have from council officers. Otherwise thejr work would be interrupted to an unnecessary extent by the preparation of all sorts of returns." said the Mayor. "However, if the council as a whole asks for the information it must bo supplied." Mr. Butler said he understood that the information for which he had asked was availablo. There was no limit to what a councillor might ask for. if thero was, there would bo Star Chamber methods. Mr. P. Eraser moved that the standing orders bo suspended to enable Mr. Butler's request to be ventilated in the manner of formal debate, but tho motion was defeated by 9 votes to 6, Labour members voting in support. Mr. Butler thereupon left the meeting.