A QUESTION OF LEAVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 10

A QUESTION OF LEAVE

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT DISCUSSION AT CITY COUNCIL Stron" objection to the granting of leave of Parliament who are also city councillors was expressed last evening at the meeting of the City Council by Cr A. H. Allen when tl.c Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) moved that leave during the forthcoming session of larliament be granted, if necessary, to Crs D. G. M’Millan, M.P., P. Ncilson, M.P., J. W. Munro, M.P., and the Postmastergeneral (Mr F. Jones). Cr F. W. Mitchell, when the Mayor put forward this motion, asked if the Mayor were going to appoint a Deputy Mayor? He had asked a similar question when Mr Jones was appointed Deputy Mpyor. Mr Jones had not been present at a council meeting for four months, and he wished to know the position. . The Mayor: Mr Jones was appointed Deputy Mayor by the council, not by me.

Cr Mitchell: Yes, on your recommendation. Cr A. H. Allen: Do you mean general leave during the full session of Parliament? If so, yon are reducing the business to a farce. I object to leave being given beyond the period that the regulations provide, and I contend that councillors have no right to be here if they are not prepared to carry out their duties. They should resign and make way for those who are. ’ The work of the committees has been very inefficiently done recently.

Cr W. W. Batchelor: It is strange that this should come up now. Mr H. L, Taplcy and Mr W. B. Taverner held three or four positions. This is only a political move on the part of Cr Allen. Cr D. C. Cameron said ho was more concerned with the fact that the work of the committees would suffer. The chairman and deputy chairman of the Tramways Committee and the chairman and deputy chairman of the Works Committee would he away.

The Mayor stated that the burden would be on him. It was now his privilege to attend nine committee meetings. He would simply have to attend more. The motion was carried, Crs Shepherd, Allen, W. A. Scott, and W. Bogg voting against it.