RESENTMENT OF CRITICISM

Southland Times, Issue 23513, 20 May 1938, Page 4

RESENTMENT OF CRITICISM

MAYOR REPLIES TO HON. T. F. DOYLE CONTRIBUTION OF £lOO BY HARBOUR BOARD A reply to criticism of the Southland Progress League by the Hon. T. F. Doyle, M.L.C., at a recent meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board was made by the Mayor (Mr John Miller) at last night’s meeting of the executive of the league. Mr Miller’s remarks followed a. letter from the board intimating that it had decided as in previous years, to contribute the sum of £lOO to the league. “I don’t know whether it is worth while taking much notice of the matter,” said Mr Milter, “but I suppose you read in the papers that the Hon. T. F. Doyle, M.L.C., a member of the board, made some remarks not at all favourable to the league when the question of giving the subsidy was before the board. I was rather surprised, because he knows well that the league has done a great deal of work for the South Island. I think his remarks were quite uncalled for. The league has been taken up by many important bodies in Southland. Many of the things the league has pushed for have been undertaken and completed. I think it was very unfair of Mr Doyle to talk as he did.” He added that the league had put several matters before the Government, specially the Queenstown-Glenorchy road, which was a matter that would be kept steadily in view. Tire Joseph-ville-Caroline road was another matter for which they had worked, for many years until they had got satisfaction. “I don’t know what he was thinking of,” Mr Miller concluded. It was decided to express the league’s thanks and appreciation to the Harbour Board for its contribution. After the motion had been carried Mr Miller said he also took exception to Mr Doyle’s remarks personally, because he had referred to a previous president, saying that something had been done when he was president. “It was a suggestion that nothing was done while I was president,” the Mayor added. “I did not like it at all and I’ll tell him so the next time I see him.”