COUNCILLOR RESIGNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22808, 18 February 1936, Page 10

COUNCILLOR RESIGNS

ST. KILDA BOMBSHELL SON NOT EMPLOYED DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL The resignation from the St. Kilda Borough Council last week of Cr A. D. Edgar and the reason for his doing so were fully discussed at last night's meeting of the council, when the statement was made by the town clerk (Mr J. V. Trezise) that Cr Edgar had resigned because his son had not been appointed to a temporary position in the council's office. Mr Trezise stated that he had made the appointment after consultation with the Deputy Mayor (Cr G. Clue) and the chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr N. D. Anderson), and .that the man who had secured the position was a married man with three children who had been out of work for five years.

When the matter came up for discussion the Deputy Mayor said that Cr Edgar's resignation had come as something of a bombshell to the council. In the circumstances he thought it was only right that the town clerk should make the position clear. The town clerk said that somo time before Christmas Cr Edgar had informed him that his son was anxious to obtain a position in the council's office. On Tuesday of last week Cr Edgar had been speaking to him on the telephone and had inquired whether any assistance was required in the office. "I informed him," Mr Trezise added, " that, after conferring with the Deputy Mayor and the chairman of the Finance Com mittee, I had made an appointment. To my surprise Cr Edgar wanted to know why his son was not given first opportunity, to which I replied that I was not aware that his son was still unemployed. When I returned to the office in the afternoon Cr Edgar handed in his resignation, the only reason given for this action being that his son was not given an opportunity of working in the office, and further that no one seemed to .be in sympathy with him. Rumours which are contrary to fact are being circulated in the borough and 1 make these statements bo that the position may be made clear." The town clerk added that the clerk employed was a married man with three children and had been unemployed for the past five years.

RETURNED SOLDIER APPOINTED Cr Anderson said he supported everything the town clerk had said. lam still at a loss," he added, "to understand Cr Edgar's attitude. We know that one reason for his resignation was that his son was not considered for this position, which is a temporary one of only about three weeks' duration, but at the same time ho must agree that the man appointed should have been given the position before his eon. The appointee is a married man with three children, he is a returned soldier, and his aged parents are dependent on him. Cr Edgar had suggested that the appointment should have been made by the whole council. That was all very well where a permanent employee was being appointed, but it was not necessary to bring a temporary appointment before the council. "If Cr Edgar had a grievance—and I, for one, do not think he na(i "—added Mr Anderson, "he should have ventilated it at this meeting. I think that his action in resigning at this particular time merits the strongest condemnation." The Deputy Mayor stated that not long previously Cr Edgar had been advocating that when employment was available preference should be given to returned soldiers. A COUNCIL MATTER? Cr Rutherford said that the view had been taken by Cr Edgar that if it was necessary for the town clerk to consult the Deputy Mayor and the chairman of the Finance Committee before making the appointment it should have been necessary for the whole council to be called together. "I think," Cr Rutherford added, " that in future any appointments, casual or otherwise, should be made by the whole council." The Deputy Mayor: I think it is absurd of you to speak like that. Cr Hinton expressed the view that in consulting the Deputy Mayor and the chairman of the Finance Committee before making the appointment, the town clerk had shown the utmost respect to the council. In his opinion, Cr Edgar's action had been inconsiderate to the council and to the electors. The discussion then lapsed.