ABRUPT ENDING

Southland Times, Issue 22203, 21 December 1933, Page 11

ABRUPT ENDING

BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING.

A STORM OF PROTEST.

(Per United Press Association.)

Auckland, December 20.

For the second time in succession the meeting of the Takapuna Borough Council was abruptly terminated last night by the Mayor (Mr J. Guiniven), who declared it closed and left the room. Last night’s meeting was held to clear up the business which was left undone at the previous meeting, but after one or two items had been disposed of the Mayor announced that as this was a special meeting, according to the Order Paper, general business could not be dealt with. He then rang his bell, closed the meeting and left the room. A storm of protest followed as the councillors realized that no business could be done until the next meeting late in January. The Deputy Mayor explained that he had arranged a temporary loan of £2OOO for the council until March, but the council could not now officially accept it. . , Strong objection was voiced by one councillor to the Mayor’s action in telephoning the borough solicitor and obtaining advice that general business could not be dealt with. He declared the Mayor had done it so that he could trip the council up. Legal advice obtained by the Mayor was repeatedly used to the council s detriment. At an informal meeting the councillors voted on the acceptance of the £2OOO loan and after several of them described the important nature of the business they had intended to bring up, they dispersed.