A PROTEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19803, 19 May 1934, Page 21

A PROTEST

STAR CHAMBER METHODS ALLEGED. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, May 18. Saying that he refused to sit in a Star Chamber, Councillor P, M. Butler walked out of the meeting of the Wellington City Council, as a protest against what he described as the refusal of an ordinary member’s right to be given information to wheih. he contended, any Councillor was entitled. The dispute arose when Mr Butler asked the Mayor (Mr Hislop) whether the information he had previously sought was now available. It related to the question of co-ordination between various departments of the City Engineer’s office. Mr Hislop read a prepared reply from an officer of the Council. Mr Butler said the information he desired had still not been furnished. “There must be a limit to the information which a member of the Council is entitled to have from Council officers, otherwise their work would be interrupted to an unnecessary extent by the preparation of all sorts of returns,” said Mr Hislop. "However, if the Council as a whole asks for the information, it must he supplied.” Mr Butler said he understood that the information for which he had asked was available. There was no limit to what a councillor might ask for. If there was, there would be Star Chamber methods.

Councillor P. Fraser moved that the Standing Orders should be suspended to enable Mr Butler’s request to be ventilated in the manner of a formal debate, but the motion was defeated by 9 to 6, Labour voting in support. Mr Butler thereupon left the meeting. ______