TENSE SCENE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20234, 19 February 1934, Page 7

TENSE SCENE.

Tramway Board Members at Variance. VERACITY CHALLENGED. A tense scene marked the close of a debate at this afternoon’s meeting of the Christchurch Tramway Board, when Mr E. J. Howard, M P , after denying a statement made by Mr C. E. Jones, said: 44 There is only one word applicable to Mr Jones, and out of courtesy to the chairman I will not use it." Mr Jones had been discussing the question of rationing, and also dealt with the events prior to the strike. 44 Why, even the deputy-chairman (Mr Howard) at the first meeting of this Board, said the election was fought on the strike question.” Mr Howard: I did not say that. Mr Jones: You did. Mr Howard: I did not. What I did say was that the Citizens’ Association fought the election on the strike and that the Labour Party had left it alone. Mr Jones: You said it was fought on the strike issue. Mr Howard (heatedly): 44 You are wrong and you know it.” Grasping a folio of papers, he added: 44 Here are the Citizens’ Association papers. JVill you believe what they say? It w*as the ( itizens’ Association alone which used the strike question. Mr Jones again said that Mr Howard had referred to the strike, and Mr Howard appealed to Mr W. J. Walter, another member of the board, who agreed with Mr Howard that the latter had not made the statement attributed to him. ,• „^ r Walter says it, and he wouldn t he. ’ said Mr Howard. It was then that Mr Howard, who had lost his usual placid manner, made the remark concerning the word which he would apply to Mr Jones. Following this, Mr Jones did not attempt to prolong the discussion.