LABOUR POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22630, 23 July 1935, Page 10

LABOUR POLICY

GOVERNMENT BY CAUCUS “UNFAIR AND UNWISE ” ; CR ALLEN’S VIGOROUS PROTEST A sudden outburst by Cr A. H. Allen against what he termed government by caucus caused a momentary uproar at last night’s meeting of the City Council. A vigorous and somewhat heated protest against the tactics of the Mayor and the Labour councillors aroused a good deal of- laughter among councillors, derisive noises in the gallery, and a spirited point of order by Cr Munro, who objected to the use of the terra “despicable.” And then it all died away in a sort of desultory tu quoque. It all arose over the reception accorded to the General Committee’s recommendation with regard to the use of the Queen’s Gardens for public speaking. Cr Allen had replied to the various speakers on’ the subject, and concluded by saying that he knew very well that the committee’s proposal would be rejected, but he felt he simply must record his protest against the policy of government by caucus which had lately been adopted by a section of the council.

“ You. sir,” he said, addressing the Mayor, “ and six councillors have been adopting the unfair and unwise practice of seeking to govern this council by caucus. It is becoming more and more apparent, and I feel bound to say that it is not right, and that it is very unfair to the rest of the councillors. Indeed, it is getting to this stage, that it is scarcely worth the while Of the other six to come here at tall. — (Lour jeers from the gallery). You meet together in secret and devise your plans for the government of this council to the exclusion of all others. It is all done for political purposes, and I think it is discourteous as well as unfair to the other councillors. It is being done all the time, and I consider that it is a despicable way of carrying on the business of this body.”—(Cries of dissent and laughter.) Cr Munro: Mr Mayor, I rise to a point of order. The Mayor: Let him have his say in the meantime.

Cr Munro: Mr Mayor, I insist upon my point of order. The Mayor waved his hand to Cr Munro, and one or two voices urged the protestant to allow Cr Allen to go on. Cr Munro (more insistently than ever) : Mr Mayor, I demand that Cr Allen withdraw the word “ despicable ” at once.

The Mayor: I don’t suppose you have any objection to withdrawing that word, Cr Allen? Cr Allen: I. will withdraw it if you think it is too harsh a term, but I must say that I do not think so. Cr Allen then returned to his denial of an allegation by the Mayor that he had himself precipitated further discussion of public speaking in the Queen’s Gardens by using his casting vote as chairman of the General Committee to bring the matter before the council again. That was not true. He had not exercised his casting vote in this matter. Actually, every member of the committee had supported the resolution as presented in the report. Since then, however, they had screwed up enough courage to support Cr Silvcrstone’s amendment. No doubt they got it at one of their caucuses.

The Mayor said that apparently it was not thought a disgraceful thing that nine councillors should meet in secret conclave, during the term of the old council, to take action against the Mayor and two or three other councillors. Cr Allen: Can you substantiate that? Cr Allen went on to say that when the old council was elected the Mayor and two councillors had met and drawn up the personnel of the committees. The remaining nine had also met and had decided not to support the Mayor’s programme. They had adopted that action because of what the Mayor had done. They had communicated their decision to the Mayor, and after that had not held another meeting.

The Mayor: Thank you. 1 am glad to have your confirmation of what took place. As a matter of fact, two councillors and myself did not draw up the committees, but the town clerk and I drew them up. Actually, the other two councillors were opposed to someiof the proposals.