CITY COUNCIL VACANCIES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 2, 28 September 1920, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL VACANCIES

LABOUR DECISION EXPLAINED,

As already announced, tho Wellington Labour Representation Committee . lias decided not to nominate candidates for the Cutv Council seats lately vacated by Messrs. L. M'Kcnzie and J. 0. Shorlaud. On behalf of the committee,. Messrs. C. H. Chapman, AV. T. Young, and J. Jl'Kcnziu yesterday made tho following statement on the subject:— "The cost of an election to tho city would probably bo. about. JB6OO. There is no Question of principle involved, and the reason given by tho resigning councillors is not sufficient to justify tbiti expenditure. There is reasonable ground for difference of opinion on the matter of the payment of £125 to Mr. Birks for services rendered in connection with tho selection of a power-houso site, but theso councillors appear to have acted unwiselv in resigning instead of moving to rescind the grant of tho amount voted. Had a rescinding niotibn been moved further discussion of the matter would have 1 taken place before the cheque could have been drawn. This would not have cost the city anything. "The L.R.C. certainly will not assist these two gentlemen in the disservice to tho city which an election entaJls, especially as apparently it is just a matter of personal difference between the two councillors and tho Mayor.. -' "The auestion of tho power-house site is a. secondary item in their dispute, and Messrs.' M'Kenzie and Shetland should havo raised that issue during tho loan proposals campaign, and not have waited until- the citizens had by vote decided the matter. ... "Tho coinmitteo hopes no election will take place, and would point out that the councillors returned will only sit at some eight or nino meetings before the general municipal election takes place, when the citizens will bo able to vote on the action of the councillors in this and other matters, and advises that the workers should not participate in any war in tilling the present vacancies.'