Three Members Resign From Rest Room Committee

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1948, Page 3

Three Members Resign From Rest Room Committee

Three members of the Shannon Rest Room Committee resigned following a majority decision that the projected ladies' rest room be erected as a separate -unit 'arid hot incorpdrated in the Shannon and District's War Memorial Hall. The members who tendered their resignations were1 Messris. R. Hook, H. Aitchison and the secretary. Mr. R. E. Vinsen. The meeting, whieh was pre'sided over by the MayOr, Mr. D. A. Fitzgerald, was atcended by a full committee, the members of whieh are Messrs. D. A. Fitzgerald (ehairman) , R. E. Vinseh (secretary), V. J. Bateman, H. Aitchison, D. A. Jones, R. Hook, Mesdames E. L. Hyde, C. Pederseh and G. Guerin, Messrs. Fitzgerald, Bateman and Aitchison being the Snannon Borough Council's representatives. Two deputations were reeeived by the committee. The first, whieh comprised Messrs. F. Denton and A. Seaton, represented the Shannon Ratepayers' Association. In outlining their mission, they stated that a unanimous decisioh had been reaehed by the association that a recommendation be made1 to the rest room committee to incorporate its funds with the war memorial hall fund and erect the rest home as part of the memorial hall. Tne Second delegation was from the Shannon Borough Council and comprised Crs. B. Clayton and L. G. Sayer. They said they were appointed by the council to meet the rest room and memorial hall committees with a view to a reconciliation between the two committees. It was stated that the council would be faced with the upkeep of two sets of conveniences, whereas if the projects were combined the one set would serve the two purposes. In conclusion it was stated that if the rest room committee was to agree, the war memorial committee would be approached with the sameproposition. After the deiegations had withdrawn, Mr. Aitchison opened the discussion by moving that the rest room fund be combined with the memorial hall fund. The motion was supported by Messrs. Hook and Vinsen, who outlined the advantages of combining tne two projects. This motion was put to the meeting and defeated. At this stage Mr. Bateman moved the following motion: "That this meeting accept the kmd donation of a section, by Mrs. Hyde, and that tenders be called to erect the rest room immediately on receiving confirmation of the approval of the site by the Shannon Borough Counc.il." Following further discussion, the motion was c'arried. After voicing their disapproval, Messrs. Hook, Aitchison and Vmsen tendered their resignations and left the meeting. Mr. D. A. Jones was then appointed secretary and it waS agree.d that the tenders be called as soon as word had been reeeived from the council.

Ex- eommitteemeii Interviewed Following their resigniations from the Shannon Rest Room Committee, Messrs. R. Hook, H. Aitchison an'd R. E. VinSen told a "Chronicle" representative that their - reasons for tendering their resignations was that in spite of ,the fact that representatives of . the Shannon Ratepayers' Association and the Borough Council, two public bodies, had voiced their approval and outlined the advantages of combining the rest room with the memorial hall,- the remaining members of the committee, who did not have one point to offer in favour of their opinion other than a majority on the committee, still resolved to erect the rest room as a separate unit. Apart from the facty that the committee was making such a vast mistake in depriving the citizens of the district of the subsidy money whereby the foundations of a building whieh would be a cpredit to the town could be laid, ''they were placing on the ratepayers the extra expense of maintaining two sets of conveniences Serving the same purpose. It was, in the opinion of the ex-members the wish of the people to have separate buildings and as they : could not be associated with a committee who would deprive the town of the benefit the Government subsidy would give, and also place an extra burden on the ratepayers, they had no option but to tender their resignations. As there are far better proposals being offered by combining the two projects, it was felt that they would not be working in the interests of the public if they remained on the committee. Mr. Hook, who is the secretary. of the War Memorial Hall Committee, stated that the public already knew that 'the Minister of Internal Affairs had stated that the conveniences section of the hall could be erected immediately and thfe subsidy granted. With this subsidy, .both the ladies' and men's conveniences could be erected on the memorial hkll site and t'his would also give the public some encouragement in that the hall project was being commenced. In conclusion, the members stat-

ed that they felt sure that they were' acting in aceordance with the wishes of the public in stating their case at the meeting and resigning when the unfortunate decision was reaehed.