UPPER HUTT TOWN BOARD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 745, 18 February 1910, Page 3

UPPER HUTT TOWN BOARD.

; ;.; LIVELY 'MEETING. ';.;': : :!k breezy meeting was held by the.lTpper Hutt Town:. Board on Wednesday night,whon'a passa'ge-atirmsVoccurred between the Commissioners and the Towii.Clerk. It-is proposed to take.a poll of the ratepayers in regard to rating on unimproved values, and i exception:was taken ■Commissioners-to the'action of-tho clerk in procuring signatures to a petition. '.-' ■> The;clerk.(Mr. A., J. M'Curdy) refused'' .to.iprodnco'■ a letter sent \to him by' Mr. : Keys;: maintaining that this'was addressed, to him: personally., .', / ,:''.... Commissioner Martin thereupon said:— Well, since;you refuse to read the letter,111 tell-you what,is in it. It is a-petition from six ratepayers resident in Wellington, aslcing for, a,polling booth to;be set: up;iu'that'town'in".connection with therating on 'unimproved value ' poll. Ho ;(the; clerk) is Knocking and hindering ,us : in every-.possible way.' .' ;',-;-;'-I will' move-.—"That this board has got no confidence-.- in him,; arid' that we dispense with his services,' or ask him: to'retire with a month's salary." .' ! ;.Commissioner' .'Wilkio'-'. Seconded ; the. motion;-:but ho other 1 members- expressed support,'and the acting-chairman refused to accept it :: -- :v ' '. • ■■■' -','r -\-'y 'After further,heated. discussion;' Commissioner Williams moved,-and Cominis-; sioner. Craig seconded:—"That. : Mr; M'Curdy be: asked'to grant us, a booth in" Wellington." This motion' the chairman alsb'rbfused to put. ■ ■}.*'■■;■'■>':■} .-'-■.'■• '■■: Commissioner-Wilkie'-'affirmed - that the clerk: had- ! canvassed • for" signatures dur- i ing office hours, and that, therefore, the' ;petition ..was 'riot.- legal. The clerk,-after being:-subjected to /further criticism at the ■hands.-of. Commissioner Martin, narrated. the: details of a recent difference of opinion between himself and the commissioner .'in.'question. In brief, ho charged Mr.' Martin and. his friends with "taking charge of the office, on which occasion,,he alleged;.' Mr.: Martin' 1 commented; in ; a' grossly' inaccurate' manner, upon' his, action in his private- capacity in- interesting himself at the. request of, others' in get, ting "a poll -.taken. Mr. Sl'Curdy characterised such intimidation as /.cowardly, for, being officially on duty, he was-un-able to defend himself. 'Instead, ho had suggested'that Mr. Martin had - better defer; his remarks'till after office honrs; he would then debate the matter.. with him. The'challenge,'he.said; was not accepted.- -. ■";:-.- : ,:":,:■, ■■•:■ , ~.-. ■'.:... - This statement was .followed, by another lively interlude. ■...-.' .' While admitting that; the clerk had ovcry right to'do what he liked in' his private capacity, Commissioner Williams thought he;was considering the position- he' occupied, 1 in 'taking part in the manner in'which he had done.

The chairman closed tho meeting with some", sarcastic: remarks; in which' ■■■ ho thanked members" for the doubtful honour they.had accorded him'in voting him to the' chair/ ■■ •■■

The' commissioners '.then'' took their departure from the building, and a heated altorcation in the road concluded matters for. the .'time-being.: ■"■'.'','■'.'■''