STORM IN COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 12, 15 January 1932, Page 3

STORM IN COUNCIL

MAYOK RESENTS REFLECTION. INCIDENT AT PORT CHALMERS. DUNEDIN, Jan. 12. There was some plain at he meeting of the Port Chalmers lorough Council last night, when the (uestion of the council accepting a tenler for the lease of some property in he borough was under discussion. Cr. Anderson took strong exception o tho acceptance of the tender on he ground that the Mayor was in the mbit of giving his sanction to the •arrying out of certain works without irst conferring with the members of he committee concerned. Cr. Anderson suggested that the Mayor was inerested in the water service which lad been installed on the property in piestion. He did not know tho extent )f the Alayor’s interest, but he did obiect to such methods being allowed to continue. If the Mayor were given luthority to do anything on his own nitiativc then there was no necessity or tho members of the committees to vaste their time every month, and here was also no necessity for tho .•ouncil to meet every month. The Mayor (Mr. J. Watson) in re)ly, stated that Cr. Anderson had writen a note in a blue book left in the own clerk’s office on the lines of his datement that night. That was an iction that would not be tolerated. He 'the Mayor) intended to remove the oaf from the book on which the vords were written. Cr Anderson had dgned his name in full, and added he words “on behalf of six members )f the council.” “1 have my doubts,” ■aid the Mayor, “if any member of the council would give his support to the statements made by Cr. Anderson.” Cr. Smith said it was hardly fair in the part of the Mayor to give jrders to carry out any work “off his )Wn bat,” as by doing it showed a lack of confidence in his committees. Cr. Anderson did not answer the Mayor, but moved that the council pro?eed with the next business. When the Mayor produced the blue book, Cr. Love leaped from his seat, ind requested the Mayor not to remove tho leaf on which Cr. Anderson’s words were written. “Don’t you remove that leaf. Don’t do it, Your Worship/’ mid Cr. Love. “We want to take a photograph of that leaf.” The .Mayor, however, with a parting diot to the effect that the book was kept in the town clerk’s office for other purposes, tore nut tho offending page.