WINTON’S TREES

Southland Times, Issue 21834, 11 October 1932, Page 3

WINTON’S TREES

REMOVAL QUESTION. (From Our Winton Representative.) Widespread interest had been evinced in the notice of motion, to remove two large trees that grace the Great North Road of the Borough of Winton, that was to have come before Friday evening’s meeting of the Winton Borough Council. The removal of these trees has been a bone of contention for some time, and on several occasions the Council has refused requests to interfere with the specimens. At Friday evening’s meeting, a notice of motion given by Councillor A. Watson at a meeting of the Council a month ago, to the effect that the trees be removed, appeared on the order paper. The question was not discussed, the subject being ‘struck out’ when a point of order was raised. It was contended that a matter could not be brought up for consideration within a period of six months. The Mayor, Mr W. Hamilton presided over an attendance of four Councillors.

On a lengthy order-paper, Councillor A. Watson’s notice of motion appeared well down in the list, but before any business at all had been dealt with Councillor A. Baird quoted authorities t- show that any question could not be re-opened until the expiration of six months and thus ruled the question of the removal of the trees out of order.

“I don’t think our friend Councillor Watson’s motion is in order,” he went on after quoting authorities, and mentioning that if such was not the case the matter could be brought up at every meeting and the Council would be everlastingly discussing it. In contending that the question could not be re-opened until the expiration of six months he added, “the whole question is not in order and if you allow it to go on you will find that this meeting is not in order.”

Councillor Watson: “I thought that the six months were up.

In continuing Councillor Watson mentioned that it made little difference to him if the motion was not in order and was of the opinion that the question was one that would be much better discussed in full Council.

The Mayor was also of this opinion that a case of such a sort should be discussed with a full meeting. The matter was then dropped and struck from the order paper.