SHANNON NEWS

Chronicle (Levin), 4 November 1948, Page 3

SHANNON NEWS

T. S

DOWNES

RESIDENT MANAGER:

TELEPHONE 101

This money was raised, but as time Went on the War Memorial Hall Committee was formed and it reallSed that the Rest Room Committee had some money. They had to get on to it and they tried to see if the Rest Room Committee would wplay ball," but the committee Would not. A public meeting was called to see if they could- gat it by other means. The meeting decided that they could not, so then the "old pressure gang" got to work to tty • and foree the people into thinking its way. He had, been approached to vote its way. He then asked why Cr. Aitchison had not resigned from the committee eight months ago when it was decided by the public not to include the rest room in the* hall scheme. At the recent meeting of the Rest Room Committee it was stated that the Department of Intefnal Affairs had advised that the rest room could be built immediately and carry the subsidy.- This was something that the chairman of the committee, who went with the deputation to Wellington, did not himself know. At the recent meeting, of the committee a site had been donated (by Mrs. Hyde and when it was* agreed to accept this, these members resigned, said Cr. Bateman. Cr. Norris said that he had been to the public meetings and knew that the funds were raised for the . rest room. He was of the opinion that they should be spent for that purpose and, if not, the committee would have broken faith with the public. They should stick to their opinion. Cr. Downes, who took exception to the Mayor's remarks that a "pressure gang" had been at work organising the record attendance of the Ratepayers' Association, stated that the attendance was a p. effort on his part as secretary of the association. He had spent much of his time in sending out notices requesting attendance at the meeting, the attendance at which was, in his opinon, not good, as he enrolled only flve new members. The attendance was not the effort of a "pressure gang," but an effort of his own. Cr. Downes went on to say that he had listened to both the Mayor and Cr. Bateman and he did not think their action was justified in that at a prior meeting of the council they had agreed that an amalgamation was a goOd thing. Two councillors had gone along to the rest room meeting to state the council's views and to 'try to get co-operation, as well as to point out the advantages of a combination of the two funds, and two of .the council's representatives on the committee had voted against the council's wishes. Oile had even gone as far as to move a motion to defeat the council's wishes, Continuing, Cr. Downes said that he was not altogether satisfled with Cr. Aitchison's action. He should have tendered his resignation as ■ the council's representative on the Rest Room Committee at the council meeting and not at the Rest Room Committee's meeting. He understood that the Levin rest room was experiencing some heavy expenditure owing to blockages, although they were not faced with heavy expenditure regarding cleaning.

People Should Decide Cr. Cronquest said that he was not at the meeting when the council's deputation was arranged so could not-voice his opinion. on how the council's representatives had acted. He said that he could see no reason why the matter Could not be brought back to the public to see what they wanted. It had been .said that all the ratepayers were in favour of a combination of the two funds. If that was so, then the scheme should go back to the people ag'ain. At this point the Mayor stated that it would be out of order in returning to the public, as it ha'd ialready been decided by the public that they wanted the rest room built- on its own. To this Cr. Cronquest said that the position had changed and the opinion of the public might now favour the combination. If the rest room was erected and the trustees failed in the upkeep of the rooms, it would fall to the council, who would have to strike a higher sanitary rate to mamtain it. In his opinioh it would cost about £5 per Week to maintain the rest room. He concluded by asking that the matter go back to the people with a clear understanding. Cr. Sayer was also o-f the opinion that the public had changed their minds as thefe had been no hint of the war memorial hall When the rest room project was commenced, and the people had not seen the plans of the hall When the public meeting decided to go ahead with the rest room as a separate unit. He waS df the opinion that the council's representatives did wrong in voting against the council's wishes. Cr. C. G. Wishart said that the rest room was the original idea and the committee wanted it. Perhaps the position had changed, but had it not been 'for many difficulties experienced by the Rest Room Committee the rest roo'm would have- been completed lbng ago. Something would have to be done, otherwise the hall project Would "flop." "If .they want the i «est room, Jet them it/*

cluded Cr. Wishart. In speaking against the motion, Cr. H. Aitchison covered much of the gfound aiready discussed concerning • the difffculty of administration and the danger of duplication. He did not want to see the council taking the rest room over as there would be needless expense and the council could not alford it as there was the water supply and road problems to overcome. The Mayor replied that if the rest room did not go up the memorial hall scheme would "flop," as they were haVing a job to raise money aiready. He saw no reason why the conveniences would need to be duplicated. 'Cr. Bateman, as seconder of the motion, attempted to reply also, jbut was ruled out of order by the Mayor. ' Cr. Sayer then moved an amendment to the motion that the Rest Room Committee be granted a permit subject to them returning to the public for their feelings and then adhering to the public's decision.- In speaking for and against the amendment, councillors voiced much the same opinions as they) had expressed earlier. Several legal points were raised by the Mayor and Cr. Cronquest regarding the with-holding of the permit, but eventually the amendment was put and carried by the meeting. Those voting for it were Crs. Clayton, Downes, Cronquest, Sayer and Aitchison. Against were the' Mayor and Crs. Bateman, Norris and Wishart.