CARTING OF WOOD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 135, 9 June 1936, Page 6

CARTING OF WOOD

COUNCILLOR’S ALLEGATIONS CHARGES UNSUBSTANTIATED WAITOTARA COUNTY S DECISION An a Legal un that a pa«iy ul cu-uuty workmen had cut firewood and loaded it un to county lorries during their working hours was made at the April meeting of the Waitotara County Council by Cr. A. A. Winwood. A report from the engineer, Mr T. Dix, was tabled at the May meeting and after a ••breeze*’ it was decided that the chairman, the engineer and Cr. Winwood shuuld interview the men concerned. The men were interviewed and a report. which was a transcribed shorthand record of the deliberations at the enquirv, was tabled at yesterday’s meeting of the council. Cr. XVinwooa alleged that it was not a true record of the conversations. Some of the statements wh?v*h had been made by those < oncerncd in the enquiry, he said, were not recorded and others wc»e not in their chronological order. I'he matter was debate 1 at length between the chairman and Cr. \Vinw od, the chairman stating that Cr. Winwood had entirely faded to substantiate his charges. He had made a mistake in failing to make mvestiga- : ons before bringing the matter to the council table. The whole affair was uncalled for and was trivial. In his opinion it should never have been brought before the council at all. Eventually the following motion, moved bv Cr. L. T. Jones and seconded pro formo by Cr. T. Alexander was ca rried: — “That tb-e Vouneil is of the op«nion that the break*h of privilege by council employees, a« alleged by Cr. Winwood, has been investigated thoroughly by the chairman and has been found to >e unsubstantiated. Further the conn•il regrets that the men have teen under suspicion of disloyalty and has every confidence in their desire to serve Ihp coun<_• i 1 faithful]v. ”