MAYOR AND CONTROVERSIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1843, 1 September 1913, Page 6

MAYOR AND CONTROVERSIES.

— 0 — THE HALF-HOLIDAY BILL'. (By Teteerapli.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, August 31. A deputation from the Auckland Sat« urday Half-holiday Association waited upon tlio Mayor, Mr. C. J. l'arr, with a request that ho should presido at a meeting whioli is to be held at tho Town Hall next week to protest against tho Govonimont bringing down the Auckland Weekly Half-holiday Hill. The deputation said that they knew there was very strong feeling against the Bill and they wished to Jiavo a' citizenß • meeting of protest against tho measure. It was their dosiro that the Mayor should presido, but they did not want him to show partiality to one side or the other. In reply tho Mayor said there was acontroversy going on in Auckland regarding tho lialf-lioilday question. As Mayor ho thought it wise to keep "out of tlio hornets' iiost" and not take the chair for oitlior pnrfcy. It was business to take tho chair at meetings where questions of a controversial character arousing; a division in tlio community were being discussod. Ho 'would liavo to consider the matter before Giving n- definite reply. "There is an idea, in this' community." said Mr. "that the Mayor should take the chair at everything from a dog-fight upwards. I am getting tired of this. The tra'cii- ; tions of my office havo always been that tho Mayor must keep clear of every partv row in the community. It was unfortunate that thero was unrest over tho half-holiday question, which should be settled one way or the other. Ho would consider tho deputation's representations before giving a final reply.-: