“MOST UNTIMELY”

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22660, 13 July 1945, Page 2

“MOST UNTIMELY”

REMARKS BY MAYOR SAVE ELECTRICITY CAMPAIGN Members of the Hamilton Save Electricity Committee at a meeting this morning expressed themselves as not pleased with the reported remarks of the Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, in connection with the committee’s campaign. When an application for a grant of £3O was being considered at. a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council on Wednesday Mr Caro had said that the committee was a body of business men seeking borough assistance to promote its own interests.

Mr S. L. Vale, chairman of the Save Electricity Committee, asked the secretary to read the report of the Mayor’s remarks. Mr T. Parker, chairman of the electrcity committee of the council, reported that his committee had approved the grant of £3O and apnreciated the efforts of the Save Electricity group. He said it was not within the province of the meeting to criticise the Mayor’s remarks. Mr Vale said the public should know that it was not a business men’s committee and that the whole borough benefited as a result of the campaign.

Mr A. J. Yendell said the Mayor’s comment was most untimely and would not assist the campaign. Even with the £3O granted by the council the committee had a credit of only £ls. “Why should we put in £1 each when the whole town benefits?” he added. Measure Of Success Achieved

Mr Arthur Fow said the Mayor was entitled to make his own comment. If the meeting was to develop into a wrangle on what had been said, he would have to ask permission to withdraw. The campaign had achieved a measure of success, and information had been received that the Central Waikato Power Board’s area had also been affected advantageously as a result of the campaign.

Mr W. S. Morrison said he had no wish to intrude in the affairs of the council. He pointed out that a number of business concerns had gone to considerable expense in providing alternative lighting to help themselves, as well as spending time and energy to help the community. Mr R. Braithwaite said it was hard to draw the line between what was business interest and what was self interest. He said the majority of the council recognised the value to the town of the committee’s campaign. He moved that the council be thanked for its recognition and for the grant toward the cost of the campaign The motion was seconded by Mr Yendell and carried. Mr Braithwaite said the committee was an example of democracy in action; an awakening of civic interest. The council could not attend to everything, he added, and voluntary assistance such as that afforded by members of the Save Electricity Committee was valuable. It would be a good thing, he concluded, if such a committee came to the assistance of the council in its efforts to form a municipal orchestra in the towfi.