“TOUCHED ON THE RAW”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21939, 28 April 1933, Page 10

“TOUCHED ON THE RAW”

"IF THE CAP FITS WEAR IT” INCIPIENT BREEZE AT HARBOUR BOARD MR TYSON REFUSES TO BE DRAWN.

A suspicion that the chairman, at the instigation of certain members of the hoard, had interfered with executive officers in the matter of the transfer of employees from one department to another, moved Mr F. E. Tyson to make some pertinent inquiries at the meeting of the Harbour Board last evening. He asked if such had been the case, and on receiving the emphatic denial of the chairman (Mr J. Loudon) he intimated that he was quite satisfied and had no intention of - pursuing the matter further, although he had suggested previously that any such interference would affect his position on the Economies,,.Committee, which had been far from pleasant. Some members of the board, however, objected strenuously to the matter being dropped at that stage, and said so in most determined accents; so much so that Mr Tyson, badgered tp elucidate his insinuations, suggested to one or two objectors that they had been “ touched on the raw ’ and that if the “cap fitted they could wear it, both of them.’’ The incipient breeze died aborning, however, notwithstanding the fact that several speakers evinced a desire to know a good deal more. Mr Tyson started’ the ball rolling by saying that he had a matter to bring up which was anything but pleasant, but he preferred that it should he taken in open board.—(Voices: “Go into committee. ) He felt that many members would like to hear what he had to say in private, but he wished to have it all done publicly. He bad been informed, he sincerely hoped misinformed, that there had been interference £y the chairman, at the instance of members of the board, in connection with staff adjustments recently made. He had been told that the chairman and certain members had interfered in the matter of appointments, and he would like to have the denial of the chairman in this respect. Failing a denial, he felt that his position .on the Economies Committee would be seriously affected. As a member of that committee his duties had been at times very painful, and he wanted to be quite sure at this stage that there had been no interference on the part of the chairman in the matter of appointments or transfers that had had to be made. Did the chairman know anything about Mr Loudon: I have never interfered.in any shape or form with the executive officers of the board. In anything that I have done I have always taken the board into my confidence, and I know nothing whatever of the matter to which Mr Tyson refers. • Mr Tyson: Thank you. I am quite satisfied with your statement. Mr Anderson: Mr Tyson seems to want this business threshed out in open meeting, and if he is satisfied, I am not. het us discuss the whole thing openly and without any concealment. We cannot allow our chairman to be accused in this way without definite ffharges that can be refuted being made. Let ns put all the cards on the table and have it out to a finish.. There should be no hedging or pulling out in things like this. It is too much like the insinuations that were made about some members allowing information to leak out. Now is the time to have this out. , ~. , . Mr Tyson: I have accepted the chairman’s statement and the whole affair is finished with so far as I am concerned. I- did not accuse the chairman of anything, and at the outset I said X hoped I had oeen misinformed. ' ' „ Mr A. Campbell; That’s all very well. We want the thibg threshed out. Theies too much of this hole-and-corner business. I know where it originated, and 1 could state the case very well myself, but I think Mr Tyson should do it. Let ns get to the bottom of it here and now. At this stage the chairnmn suggested that in respect of such matters it would be better if complaints were accompanied by specific cases or charges. . Mr Tyson: I have accepted your denial and that is all there is to it. Can you expect any more? Mr Campbell then turned with considerable heat to Mr Tyson.: You have made certain statements or insinuations; why cannot you have the courage to see them through? Tell the board what you mean and lay your charges openly. I want to know what, you mean. , Mr Andersen supported Mr Campbell in his demand for an\explanation. Mr Tyson: It seems to. me that ! have struck fire. If the cap fits, wear it, both of you. _ Mr Campbell: If the executive officers of the board have gone behind my back I will have them here and argue the matter out with them before the whole board.

Mr Waters said it seemed a rather mysterious statement that Mr Tyson had made. He certainly-accepted the chairman’s statement, and he thought in fairness to the other members of the board that Mr Tyson should give them the source of his information.

Mr Tyson said he thought they were making a mountain out of a molehill. It had been reported to him that the chairman had interfered with the transfer of a member of the staff in* the engineer’s department. He had asked the chairman if that were correct, and he had said, “No.” He (Mr Tyson) had then said that was all right. Mr Waters: We are all involved.

Mr Tyson: You are not involved. Mr W, Begg said he was in agreement with Mr Waters, but he was strongly of the opinion that the matter should be discussed in committee. What Mr Tyson had said amounted to a reflection on every member of the board. He had also stated that the affair would affect his position on the Economies Committee. Mr Waters and he were members of the Economies Committee, and he thought they were entitled to have the thing threshed out properly. The full facts of the case should be laid before the hoard.

Mr Tyson (very exasperatedly): There can be no facts in the case at all since the chairman has emphatically denied the whole thing. I have accepted his statement. What more can you want?

Mr Campbell: You have alleged that the chairman and certain members of the board have interfered in departmental business. We must have it all out. 1 could move a notice of motion about business which would surprise the Dunedin members of the board. If you want to hear anything you have to come down ■below to Port Chalmers. We know what is going on. In any case, it was time something affected the members of the Economies Committee. We should abolish it altogether, and I hope that the new board will abolish it. The business of the board should be done openly instead of in a small .room by about three men.— (Loud laughter from Sir Sharpe.) I think that the chairman should insist on a frank statement by Mr Tyson. Mr Loudon’s name has been cleared, but mine has not. This may be my last term on the board, and I want to 1 leave it with a clean record. Mr Tyson (not without heat): Cod bless my soul, I’ve already accepted the chairman’s statement that theie is nothing in it. What on earth more, could you want? lam prepared to admit that I have been misinformed. The chairman: The difficulty is that other members are involved. Mr Tyson; No one else is involved. My acceptance of your denial clears everybody, The discussion seems to have engendered a lot of heat. I have obviously touched somebody on the raw. Mr Anderson: Well skin the raw and have it out. „ Mr Tyson still refused to be drawn in any way despite continual attacks by the Port Chalmers members, and the chairman finally passed on to other business.