COUNCIL ENDS IN UPROAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1027, 18 July 1930, Page 1

COUNCIL ENDS IN UPROAR

CATCALLS FROM EXCITED GALLERY FIVE NOTICES OF MOTION PREVENTED MR. LUNDON ATTACKS HIS COLLEAGUES AN astounding: scene was enacted at the Auckland City Council last evening when, to the accompaniment of catcalls, cheers, hoots and facetious comment from an excited gallery of the public, the meeting ended in utter disorder. A majority of the councillors had evidently conspired to desert the council chamber, thus baulking Cr. J. K. Lundon, who had proposed to raise five notices of motion. Cr. Lundon then spent several minutes in a strong criticism of the missing councillors, his audience being the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, six other councillors and a noisy gallery.

The amazing demonstration will go down in the history of local body politics as an exhibition of bad taste i on the part of members of the gallery, several of whom began to count ' out the councillors who had deserted the chamber. It is said that no more remarkable incident has been witnessed in the City Council. The unanimity with which 11 members of the council rose and walked instantly from the chamber to the supper-room, just before it was time for Cr. Lundon to bring his five notices of motion before the meetign, gave the impression that the move was prearranged. The Mayor still occupied the chair, obviously astonished at the sudden desertion of the meeting, and the other councillors remaining in the chamber were Messrs. A. J. Entrican. Deputy. Mayor, W. H. Murray, J. Donald, G. G. Ashley, H. P. Burton and F. N. Bartram. Cr. Entrican rose immediately, proposing the adjournment of the council for three weeks, with the meeting to be called then at 6 p.m., an hour earlier than usual. The Mayor hastened to point out to Cr. Entrican that a quorum of the council was not in the chamber, and the members present did not have power to vote. “SAMPLE OF COURTESY” “This, gentlemen, is a sample of the courtesy extended to the chief magistrate of this City and to myself,’ declared Cr. Lundon, turning to those in the gallery to include them in his remarks. Cr. LundoD wanted to know the statutory procedure in such a situation. The Mayor, reading Standing Orders, pointed out that it would be necessary for the remaining councillors to wait five minutes to see if the other councillors would return. He then rang a bell on his desk as a signal to the councillors who had left the chamber. By this time, they were in the corridor or the supper-room. Cr. Lundon turned to the gallery, saying: “In the meantime, I invite you to come and have a cup of tea, too. You can have it. The newspaper reporters come in, unasked, after every council meeting.” “This is not a bear-garden, Cr. Lundon,” remonstrated Cr. Burton. “You should recognise that it is necessary to preserve dignity.” Cr. Lundon: It looks it. Cr. Burton: I can stand a joke, but this is too much. GALLERY INTERFERES By this time, the gallery was becoming restless. One man rose and asked the Mayor if members of the gallery were allowed to take part in and discussion. “Certainly not,” replied the Mavor “The gallery has no right.” “But the council is not in session,” declared Cr. Lundon. "The gallery can take no part,” the Mayor persisted. Cr. Lundon then charged the councillors who had walked from the chamber with a deliberate attempt to cause his notices of motion to lapse. It was a gross misuse of their duty, he contended. “I shall write letters to the council on each of the subjects,” he said, “and I shall then discuss those letters at the next meeting as I do ordinary letters. Further, I shall again give notices of motion on the subjects. The councillors who have walked from the chamber do not understand their duty . . .” Enthusiastic voice- in the gallery: Hear, hear! These men are not fit mentally- and otherwise to carry out their duty as the elected representatives of the people.” Cr. Lundon proceeded. “If they think they are going to stop me in this way, they have another think coming. I intend to call a public meeting to protest against this action and to demand the removal of these men from the council.” BOOS AS MAYOR LEAVES The Mayor and the other councillors now rose from their seats, and. as Mr. Baildon was proceeding from

the chamber to his office, a section of the gallery booed. Three cheers were then given by the excited gallery for no stated reason, then three tor Cr. Murray and. finally, three for Cr. Lundon. One or two in the gallery began counting out the other councillors as they were leaving, but this noise was lost by the remarks shouted down from the gallery into the chamber. The rowdy members of the public were thoroughly out of control. “Wait till next election." shouted one, and another called “You’re a lot of stiffs,” after the departing councillors. Another man called “Lundon for next Mayor—Murray the deputy!” "I shall be a candidate,” Cr. Lundon assured the man. Mr. Baildon reappeared in the council chamber, to be greeted with a shout of "Cheer up. George.” The man who had asked the Mayor previously if those in the gallery could take part in the discussion was announcing that a ratepayers' association (the name could not be caught in the uproar) would call a meeting of protest against the conduct of the councillors.

RELUCTANT TO RETIRE It was only with reluctance that the indignant members of the public filed out of the bidding, and a sensational episode closed. After the meeting, the Town Clerk. Mr. J. s. Brigham. informed The Sun that, in all the years of his association with the council, he had not witnessed such an unruly gallery and so disgraceful a scene. The Mayor preferred not to make any comment on the incident, but one councillor who remained in the chamber when his 11 colleagues walked out, said the affair was simply disgraceful, and a happening which will reflect discredit on the Auckland City Council." He asked whether the demonstration by the gallery did not amount to contempt. Though not a quorum, the remaining councillors were actually in session because they were waiting for the statutory period of five minutes to elapse, in case the other councillors returned. Rumours of a drastic move among the councillors to prevent extremely late meetings have been heard for some time past. It has not been uncommon in late months for ihe council meeting to drag on till after one o’clock in the morning.