COUNCILLOR’S RESIGNATION

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1934, Page 9

COUNCILLOR’S RESIGNATION

CLIFTON COUNTY INCIDENT. UPHOLDING A PRINCIPLE. Cr. E. A. Shaw, representative of the Mokau riding in the Clifton County Council, who since last meeting had resigned his seat and had been returned unopposed by the ratepayers, was welcomed at yesterday’s meeting by the chairman. Cr. Shaw asked whether the council knew the reason for his resignation. The chairman said he understood Cr. Shaw had tendered his resignation owing to a misunderstanding over the appointment of a surfaceman for the Okaii riding. He had done his best to right the misunderstanding.

Cr. Shaw said he had resigned because he had been discredited by the whole council.

The chairman said he did not think that had been the case. w Cr. Shaw said the council had evidently considered he had told a direct lie. It apparently believed the engineer’s statement in preference to his, .as he could get no seconder to his motion regarding the appointment. Cr. Phillips said he resented the statement. The council looked to the engineer to get the work done. Cr. Shaw said that he had no objection to the appointment, but he objected to being classed as untruthful when he made a statement. Since the meeting the chairman had stated that if he had known as much at the time as he did then things would have been different.

The chairman said he did not think he had made the statement referred to. Cr. Shaw had complained that he had not received a hearing and he had expressed regret if that was the case, stating that Cr. Shaw could have talked as long as he liked within reason. Councillors knew what had happened at the meeting. The appointment had been discussed, and it was decided that three of the applicants should be selected and the final decision left to the engineer and himself. Cr. Shaw said there had always been an understanding that when the riding councillor and engineer agreed on a suitable man, that man would be appointed. In recommending the man he considered that he was saving the council money. Cr. Shaw reiterated “ that he did not object to the man who had been appointed, but he considered that as he was discredited he had no option but to resign. The settlers, however, had got t.gether and had urged him to seek reelection, holding that he had always represented them honestly. The chairman said he hoped that if there had been any grievance or misunderstanding the hatchet had now been buried.