A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 378, 27 April 1915, Page 3

A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

SPREYDON BOROUGH. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. MR T. WOODS ACCEPTS.

In the course of his address to the ratepayers of Spreydon last Saturday ■evening, in which he set out his version of the borough's financial position and the work done by the council during his term of office, Mr G. R. Whiting, Mayor of Spreydon, explained that the figures he was quoting were not audited, but he and the Town Clerk had gone through them very carefully. He \ added that he was prepared to give £s* v " to the Belgium Relief Fund if anyone could prove a discrepancy of £2OO between the figures he had quoted an A those which were ultimately passed by the Government auditor. -

Speaking to a Sun representative this morning, Cr T. Woods, who is one of the candidates for the Mayoralty of Spreydon, said:—"l accept Mr Whiting's challenge. In my address to the ratepayers this evening I will deal with the-excessive expenditure of the last 12 months, and with estimates and liabilities, and I will prove that my figures and facts are based on the figures and facts supplied to •me or taken by me from the Town Clerk, and use the same figures as the Town Clerk supplied to Mr Whiting. Mr Whiting stated at his meeting on Saturday evening that the Town Clerk, who had prepared his figures, would have been present that night, but that he had previously made a private engagement which he did not wish to forego. That .is absolutely incorrect, as the Town Clerk, being the returning officer for the borough, could not legally take part in any electioneering meeting. The Town Clerk informs me that, he made no such statement as Mr Whiting stated to the meeting."