SOME WARM WORDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2174, 12 June 1914, Page 6

SOME WARM WORDS

OVER A LIGHT AREA

CITY COUNCILLORS AT LOGGER-HEADS

SERIOUS IMPUTATIONS MAYOR SAYS MATTER SHOULD BE BURIED Tiio matter of a light a ea granted the firm of Messrs. A. S. Paterson and Co. was further discussed at tlie meeting of tho City Council last night. Tho question was raised by a recommendation from Iho Power and Tramways Committee, as' follows :— "That they have further considered tue question of the light area at Messrs. A. S. Paterson and Co.'s ' premises, Mercer Street, adjoining tho lighting etation ( referred hack lor further consideration, and that they are of opinion that arrangements' made by the Department obviate the necessity to resume tho land at present. They therefore recommend that no further action bo taken."

Councillor Codbcr Explains. Councillor Godber. said that he wanted to give an explanation Ho had waited a long time for the .opportunity, but ho was going to justify his position, as chairman of the committee at tho time tho matter, was under discussion. Ho had to do so because he had been charged, by Councillor Hirrdmarsh, with having suppressed an officer's report, and had been told by Councillor, Hindmarsh -that the light -area business was the only corrupt'act during Councillor Hindniarsh's term of office. The.matter wasbrought up two years ago, aijdwas discussed then. He would like to-say, in the first place, ■that the requisition Was brought down and submitted by Messr? A. fcj. Paterson and Co.':iieforo ex-Councillor Shirtcliffe was a member of the council. The plans for the power station at'that time provided for s'a right-of-way, but it did not.. go very far down; and Messrs.■Peterson and Co. applied for.an extension to enable them to get to the rear of their premises. That was.brought forward in May, 1907, and tho ' question was postponed to enable the committee,ijto gee a report from their officers.' . Councillor ' Hindmarsh was present at .'that meeting. In August the matter was discussed by tlio committee, and ho stated, emphatically, that the repe/ts were read and discussed at tho meeting.

Councillor Hindmarsh's Audacity. Councillor Hindmarsh was absent from that meeting, said Councillor Godber, but, notwithstanding that fact, he had the audacity to say that a. report was suppressed, and the inference was that all tho olficcrs connected with the matter were cognisant that the report had been suppressed. Mr. M'Coll's report did not state-one word about a light area. Ho was r.ever asked to report upon a light ■■area. He presented a report strongly condemning tho extension of the right-of-way, and the extension was turned down. '.

There was some alteration later of tho plans, went on Councillor Godber, and on the question of'the light area the discussion was very full. Tho committee visited the premises and saw what..the:; cH'ect: would: be.-: They:.consulted the Electrical Engine.er, and he offered no objection. At a subsequent mooting, it was resolved that the.light area should be recommended, on tho payment of £12 per annum. Ho was a little doubtful as. to the amount, and looked up tho minutes. He then found that the Hon. Mr. Fisher, who was a member of the council at the time, had supported the proposal. Hβ' got into, communication with Mr. Fisher,, and that gentleman had replied to the effect that ho ren'embored that the proposal had been well considered, on account of the fact that the head of the firm was a member of the council. He was quite satisfied that every detail that was available was placed before them, because just about-that time imputations had been made that certain members of the council had got advantages, through, their positions. Imputations an Insult. Councillor Godber went on to say that it took ten months for them to como to a decision, and for any member to get up and say tho reports weresuppressed was an insult. Councillor Hindmarsh said that ho was scut to the council to do his duty. Councillor .Hindmarsh was present at the first meeting, when tho matter was not discussed, bnt was not present at the. two other meetings, and raised no objection when the matter was before the council. Ho had looked tip the number of meetings held that year. It was nine, and Councillor Hindmarsh attended three of them. Did ho consider that doing his duty?

Councillor Hindmarsh: What has that got to do with it? Councillor Godber: It has a great deal to do with it. It is nn inference that because of his superior knowledge things would not go right without liis presence. Everyone' knows that the main work of-the council is done by tho committees. ■ * Further, Councillor Godber said that ho would not, say anything about the other meetings" Councillor Hindmarsh had not attonded, but he had not attended the ones when the. matter was discussed." But he got up and charged his follow-councillors, including exCouncillor Shirtcliffe, with absolute dishonesty, by .stating that it was the only corrapV act during his term of office. It .was deliberate. slander upon those persons. .. * Could They Wonder? "If that sort of thing is to bo tolerated," -went, on Councilldr Godber, ."then can you'wonder that responsible people, people of undoubted ability and honesty, hesitate before offering their services to the council?" "I think that I havo perfectly vindicated myself and ex-Councillor Shirtcliffe in;.the matter, and I think that it is deeply to be regretted that Councillor Hindmarsh has made the imputation that'll 4 has done." Matter of Captain Cillespie. Councillor H. Hindmarsh rose to reply to Councillor Godbor, and said that had he been present at tho meetings he did no'tS think the matter would have gone through. He wanted to ask one or two questions. He had a good mind to bring tip the matter of Captain Gillespie. Councillor Godber rose to a point of order. The Mayor: The point of order is this: That in referring to tho matter of Captain Gillespie you are referring to something not involved in this .matter. | Councillor Hindmarsh: "Yes, he was chairman oF the committee when this happened, and I am going to draw a coniparison." Continuing, Councillor Hindmarsh eaid that Captain Gillcspie had told him that he had purchased a house from Councillor Godber. It was in the drained area in Pirio Street. He thought lhat it was properly drained. Councillor Barber: I cannot see what this has got to do with it. The Mayor: I must ask you both to sit down. Councillor Hindmarsh is drawing a comparison as between this light area and something else that Councillor Godber has been connected with. Until he goes away from that I shall allow him to continue. Continuing, Councillor Hindmarsh said that the house was not drained, and

Captain Gillespie was served with an order to connect with the drainage, at a cost of £36. He complained, nml was told that Councillor Godber was ordered to make the connection, but he was then chairman of the (By-laws Committee, and put the matter oil' and off. Councillor Godber was the chairman of the By-laws Committee, and it was his duty to put his J)lace in compliance with ' the bylaws. He might have shown the same moral delinquency the second time-. . There' they had a bit of land parted with forever, against the report of tho responsible, ofticerfi. Mr. Ames, the city valuer, was not asked to value it. If men.put themselves in that position, where only one. inference could bo drawn, then they must expect the inference to be drawn. There was the remarkable thing that the responsible officers M'cporte'd against it, the" city valuer had not given a report, and yet the light area was granted.

Counplllor Shirtcliffo's Apt. Councillor Shirtcliffe was a new counciilor. Councillor Godber wanted to be chairman of tho committee, and asked personally for Councillor Hindmarsh's support. Directly the douncil met. Councillor Shirtcliffo, on his first mooting, got up and proposed Councillor Godber, who was elected. "Now, regarding Mr. Fisher. I had a meeting with him, and asked him if. ho remembered the event. Ho could give me no details then, 1 say, if men put themselves in tho position Councillor Godber and Councillor Shirtcliffe put themselves in on the occasion', their action was only open to one inference. What was the'position now? The City Engineer said that the transaction should nerer have been entered into. That was a condemnation of the whole council. Where did Councillor Godber's accusations against him stand— his puny accusations' that, he had not attended some committee meotihgs. It must bo remembered that I discovered this thing nearly' fivo years after, by accident. It was a great surprise. If men were not more careful of their honour than Councillor Godber) ex-Coun-cillor Shirtcliffe, and. ex-Councillor Fisher he admitted he was in it), I say they deserve the inference I have drawn."

In conclusion, Councillor Hindmarsh said that he had now no further interest in going into the matter,., but he wouldJiave liked a public examination. A Personal Explanation. Councillor Godber rose to make a personal explanation. Tie said Councillor • Hiudmarsh was wrong' with ■ regard to the. hoiiso sold to Captain Gillespie. .It was drained in accordance with'the Act of 1890/ arid anything further should have been, done by the council.' ' ■? ] Councillor R. Fletcher: The matter with regard to Captain Gillespie is absolutely correct. It is in the J?own Clerk's correspondence. Councillor AV. H. P. Barber said thatthe committee made inquiries, and granted the concession to one of ih-jir tenants. He did not think there v.as any blame to be attached to the committee. Matter Should Be Burled.

The Mayor said that he was going to say one. word, and thon ho hoped that the matter would be buried. He thought that they should have disassociated ex-Councillor Sfairtbliffe from the discussion. He was not present whoti the matter was discussed. Looking hack on tho matter, it would have Veen better to have had the light-area e:< tending right through, but if that pr« pert.y came back to the council to-vnor-row it would have an added' value. Ho would say that he had been a member of the council for fifteen years, and he had never seen a couniiilior. do anything-. not conforming with" his oath as a councillor. The discussion then ended, and tho recommendation of the committee was adopted.