COBDEN TOWN BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 25 September 1930, Page 6

COBDEN TOWN BOARD

MR. TURRET REFUSES SEAT.

ELECTION OF A MEMBER QUESTIONED.

The mem Iters of the newly-elected, Gooden Town hoard met last evening to appoint a chairman, and form the van.<ns committees. There were present :—kminmisioner T. H. Jones, M. \V turner, i>. L. Turley,, C. Oranis, IJ. Alc'tti leu, I). Cochrane, T. Keeney and the 'lown Merk, Miss El. Davison. Prior to me commencement of businsss, Mr Taney raised the question ol the validity u. the. election of Mr Mettrick, and of his right to take Ins seat on the hoard, owing to the fact that Mr iVlcUi'ieit s name was not on the roll. The Town Clerk. Miss Davison, stated that sue hat. written to the Counsel to the Municipal Associations of New Zealand, Mr 0 cihea, Welling-’ ton, who had -replied that Mr Mettrick was 1 entitled to taxe his seat on the Board. Mr Turley said that lie had obtained legal advise to the effect that Mr Mettrick was not eligible for elec-ion. The position, he said, would be absurd if he were eligible. After fiu-ther discussion, Mr Turley announced that lie would not take I W seat until the position was finalised. The election of chairman was then proceeded with. Cr. Jones was nominated by Cr. Mettrick, and seconded by Cr. Cochrane. No other nominations were received, and Mr Jones was declared elected, and took the eliajr. In thanking tlie Commissioners for appointing him as their chairman, i r. Jones expressed the hope that the Board would have an enjoyable and successful term of office. They were there lor the good of the town, he said, and if any differences of opinion did arise, they should endeavour to have them settled amicably. There was no reason why the Commissioners should not see eye to eye, and there was no reason for any of them to “get hot under the- collar.” Mr TURKEY’S ATTITUDE.

Questioned after the meeting, as to why lie had refused to take his seat on the Board, Or. Turley said that tli G petition, as he saw it, was that any business done by the Board at present, with Cr. Mettrick taking part, \,;j Id lie illegal in the event of objection being lodged that unseated Cr. Mettrick. It appealed to him that there was little doilbt that,- if anyone chtsired, within fourteen days, Cr. Mettrick • would be unseated. With all due respect to Mr O’Shea’s opinion, he said, it certainly differed from that of the late T. F. Martin, who was recognised as one of New Zealand's greatest authorities on such matters. Had Mr Mettrick seen fit to have refused to sit till after the 14 days had elapsed, then matters owulc! .have been in quite a different position. Seeing that the members of the Board saw fit to do their ordinary business and oppoint the Chairman of the Board, the Chairman, of the Finance Committee, and the Chairman of the Works Committee, as well as these -Committees, he (Cr. Turley) considered that the only reasonable thing he could -do was to reman his position as a memlier oi the Board.