LIVELY COUNCIL MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1563, 5 October 1912, Page 5

LIVELY COUNCIL MEETING.

♦ : A MEMBER RESIGNS. The calm of the proceedings at the Devonport Borough Council meeting on Tuesday evening was disturbed somewhat owing to two members demanding information as to why certain notices of motion given by thorn did not appear on the order paper (says the Auckland "Herald"). Mr. Cranch, upon asking a question in regard to a notice of motion, was told by the Mayor (Mr. W. Handlev) that his question was out of order at tho particular stage of thp business. He, however, refused to accept the Mayor's ruling, and reiterated his request. The Mayor: I must ask you to take your seat. Mr. Cranch: I will not sit down unless I get satisfaction. Eventually Mr. Cranch sat down, but demanded that his protest should bo en, tered in the minutes, and. added that ho intended to see the matter through. Later on Mr. J. Allen asked why certain notices of motion of his had been ignored. The Mayor: I rise to a point of order. ,At the meeting before last Mr.' Allen was not present when the matter came up. Therefore, according to tho standing orders, I gave instructions to have the motion struck out. Mr. Allen excitedly declared Clint Hie Mayor had wrongfully interpreted the standing orders. "Anything you • liko is in order," ho added, addressing tho Mayor. Tho Mayor: It's false, I rule that you havo no right to deal with the matter now. 1 Mr. Allen (excitedly): I consider it is rascally to be treated like this. ... I move that your ruling be objected to. The Mayor refused to allow the notice of motion to be dealt with at that meeting, whereupon Mr. Allen intimated that ho would write out his resignation at one*. Messrs. Cranch and Allen made '.urther complaints in regard to the Mayor's nttitudo towards them, and the formor moved, "That the standing orders be suspended and the notices of motion be placed on tho order paper." Tho motion, on being put, received the support of the majority of the council, but was thrown out, as any motion to suspend tho standing orders must bo carried unanimously to bn effective. Mr. Allen (rising): I do not seem to have any say in this matter, so I will retire. He did, and'ns he withdrew remarked that ho would forward his resignation.