STORMY MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16496, 5 August 1921, Page 6

STORMY MEETING.

SUMMIT ROAD ASSOCIATION MEMBERS REFUSE TO HEAR M<R ELL. There was another turbulent meeting ol ! the executive of the Summit Road Association last night. Mr H. G. Ell sprang to his feet when the chairman (Mr W. Machin) announced that the Heatheote County Council had handsomely withdrawn motions dealing with the toll-gat© at the Kiwi Resthouse, Dyer’s Pass. Mr Ell, who has been strongly in favour of a compulsory toll, in order to obtain funds to carry the Summit Road along the hilltops, took tins as an indication that the compulsory toll would be abolished. MR ELL’S OFFER. “Unless the compulsory toll is enforced, the whole of my lifework will be ruined,” he said. “ I want to say publicly that 1 saw Sir Francis Bell on the subject, and he said that the Government had the same confidence in me now as it always has had in me in regard to this work. I saw Mr Guthrie, and told him what 1 intended to do. 1 told Sir Heaton Rhodes. I now tell you that, if necessary, 1 will live on the roof of the Kiwi Rest-house in order to carry out this work. My wife lias made an offer to me. She has agreed that we will live there in order to get rid of this trouble. 1 know that the proposal to abolish the toll-gate will min the whole thing. 1 am prepared to leave my home and go to the Kiwi and manage the place. 1* ve placed my property in the hands of Mr Charles Clark to lot, and 1 shall go to live on the roof of the Kiwi. I won’t take a single penny oi the takings—not a. cent—but I’m going to do the labour on the road. I have already performed personal labour there by removing obstacles on the water-table, and 1 intend to put the road right. I tell you I have done that work. Those wlio know me know that I’m in earnest, and that I'm going oil right to the end. I’m not speaking in heroics. I mean what T say, and I’m going to do it. Now understand that.” RECEIVING THE MONEYS. . Mr Ell was annoyed a second time when r.he chairman placed on the table a card which had been posted in the Kiwi Tea House. A printed notice on the card is headed, “ Port Hills-Akaroa Summit Road, ’ and is signed “ H. G. Mil, Box 226, G.P.0., Christchurch.” It states that he is making a special appeal to get a pathway made along the heights of the Port Hills and tiio Peninsula Hills to Akaroa. “ All the moneys collected by this special ap peal,” the notice states, “ must be paid into the Public Works Department, Christchurch. Please pay the proceeds of this collection into the Pub lie Works Department Office, Government Buildings, Worcester Street. The money will be then credited to the fund for this work.” The chairman said that moneys contributed for the Summit Road must be pa’id to the association. He read a letter from Mr F. Longbien, Assistant Resident Engineer in Christchurch for the Public Works Department, stating that no person had any authority to make use of the Department’s name in regard to the use of collection boxes and cards inviting the public to give donations to the Department for work on the Summit Road. The letter added : “ I have written to Mr Ell. who was responsible for the placing of the printed notice in the rest-house, asking i him to refrain from mentioning this Department in future appeals which he may issue in connection with the road scheme.” The next bone of contention was a large placard. Mr Ell had placed on the wall of the rest-house. The chairman said that the notice must be removed. FORCIB L E RESISTANCE THREATENED. Mr Ell: All I have to tell you is that it won't be removed as long as I’m there, because I’ll forcibly resist, and I’ll do an injury. I’ll forcibly resist against anybody, and I’ll resist again and again until there’s not a bit of me left. The Chairman : It is moved that we give Mr Ell seven days’ notice to remove the notice from the walls of the rest-house, and that if lie doesn’t, we’ll remove it Mr G. T. Booth seconded the motion, which was carried without a dissentient, Mr Ell assuring the meeting that there would be trouble if the motion was acted, upon. A BUSINESS MAN’S ADVICE Mr Ell, in one of his many addresses, leferred to a letter dealing with the Summit Road written by Mi A. W. | Jamieson, a member of the executive, i Mr Jamieson said that lie, like all ! other members of the association, en- | teied into its objects with sympathy with Mr Ell. They conscientiously had tried to work with him. It was the first occasion in the speaker’s life that he had been unable to get on with another man. He felt the position very keenly. If he had followed his own wishes he would have withdrawn, but ho could not do that. He had done everything any man could do, a fact that he could substantiate. Mr Ell thought that everybody who differed in. opinion from him was against him If the ordinary rules of business were observed, and a spirit, of confidence in the work was encouraged, the executive could go to the public feeling that the public? would supply the money required, and that the work would be carried out as the public desired. Mr Jamieson’s speech was interrupted by an altercation between Mr Ell and another member of the executive, and by cries of “ Order, order.” Continuing, Mr Jamieson said that although Mr Ell seemed to be very bitter towards him, Mr Ell would have his complete co-operation. In reply to an interjection by Mr Ell, he said that in these days ever> man had heavy duties j to attend to, and no public man should ! have anv energy to waste. The work of the Summmt Road Association was work that all should take part in. The wrangling week after week should stop. WITHOUT* AUTHORITY. “ It’s a most unusual and extraordinary step for you to take in doing things on your own authority without consulting anybody,” the chairman said to Mr Ell when another question came up. The remark apparently referred to the rest-house at the tram terminus on the hills, as Mr Ell said hotly: “ The tram terminus wouldn’t have been there at all if 1 had oonsulted the executive.” “ You can do what you like about the tram terminus,” the chairman replied. “And I am going to do what T like about other things, too, if they're in the irterests of the scheme,” Mr Ell said. “ 1 won’t stop. I won’t stop. T never will ask the permission of this executive.” The Chairman. Ts it the feeling of the 'ceting that it hears Mr Ell no Members: Yes. The Chairman : This meeting is closed. The members then left the room.