A STIR IN THE COUNCIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5076, 17 January 1927, Page 2

A STIR IN THE COUNCIL.

NORMANBY ROAD RATING AREA.

HONESTY OF ACTION QUESTIONED

An attempt was made to bring the question of creating a special rating area for. the purpose of bituminising the centre of Normanby Road before the Paeroa Borough Council again at its meeting on Thursday night. Cr. de Castro fell foul of the Mayor, as being the one responsible for introducing the subject. Cr. de Castro expressed the opinion that 75 per cent. oT the signatures °f the ratepayers, as required under the Local Bodies Loans Act, had not been actually obtained at t,he .time the town clerk (Mr W. C. Alexander) inserted the advertisement calling attention to the notice of a special poll.

At the outset the Mayor expressed regret that the seconder, of the resolution (Cr. de Castro) at a special meeting of the. council held on December 21—to the effect that in the event of the. petitioners being able to supply the town clerk with sufficient names to qualify for the 75 per cent*, as required by the Act, the town e’erk should be instructed to set the. machinery in motion for the taking of a poll— had since thought fit to take steps to upset the ‘resolution. The town clerk had carried out hist instructions, the 75 per. cent, of names were forthcoming, and the machinery was set in motion. Anything Cr. de Castro desired to bring forward in connection with the matter would be out of order, because the subject was not before the meeting. Cr. de Castro said that he considered he would be in order in giving a notice of motion with reference to the subject. Cr. F. E. Flatt submitted a question as to what exactly was the position, but the Mayor refused to ai> swer. He reiterated that the subject was not formally before the meeting. The question had been dealt with previously.

Cr, Flatt replied that he was not looking for an argument, but he thought he had a right to know where he stood.

The Mayor 'replied that 75 per cent, of the signatures had been forthcoming and .the matter was closed for. the. present.

Cr. de Castro said he queried if 75 per cent, had actually signed the petition.

The Mayor replied that the required number, of signatures had been obtained.

Cr. de "Castro retorted that he respectfully begged to disagree with the answer of the Mayor.

The Mayor replied, rather heatedly, that he would give Cr. de Castro’s statement the lie direct Further, he would not allow Cr. de Castro to continue, as he was quite out of order.

Cr. de Castro: Very well, Your Worship, if I am to have the gag applied it may be necessary to obtain legal advice on the matter. The Mayor pointed out that in the event of the town clerk having made a mistake there would be ample opportunity given for councillors to make objections. The whole matter would come before the council at the propel' time. Cr. de Castro said that the Mayor’s remarks did not satisfy him, and he would give his reply the lie direct. The Mayor informed Cr. de Castro that he could not be allowed to continue, as he was quite out Of order, and that he had already had a good deal qg indulgence.

Cr. de Castro then questioned the Mayor’s ruling, and from the meeting said he would ask for the opinion of councillors on the matter. The Mayor replied that his decision on a point of order was final, and that the question of his ruling could not be submitted to councillors.

Cr. de Castro still persisted in his efforts to speak on the matter, and the Mayo? rose to his feet and ordered him to sit, down. The request was repeated several times.

Cr. de Castro still stood up, and made an endeavour to talk the Mayor down.

Raising his voice, the Mayor ordered Cr. de Castro to resume, his seat, or he would have him forciblj’ removed.

The incident then closed, but only i ; r the time being. At a later stage in the meeting Cr. de Castro re-intro-duced the matter by admitting that since the special meeting he had taken steps in the matter, and had been the means of having names witndrawn from the petition. He said that he had no desire to wrangle with the Mayor, and he did not blame the town clerk, but of his own knowledge he still believed that the required 75 per cent, of signatures had not been obtained. In view of this, contention he wished to move that the resolution passed at the special meeting be rescinded.

The' Mayor said that the resolution was out, of order, as a notice of motion was required to rescind a resolution, and the riiatter was. not before the meeting for discussion. Cr. de Castro then sought permission t,o comment on the minutes of the special meeting, but the Mayor reminded him that the minutes had been read and confirmed, and could not be reopened for discussion. If Cr. de Castro so desired he could give notice Of motion te rescind tlie resolution passed at the special meeting. The matter would, in any case, come forward for review in the ordinary way at a subsequent meeting of the council.

Continuing, the Mayor said that in all decency Cr. de Castro should not have passed such remarks, and he ought to allow the matter t,o drop. It was highly improper to cast reflections on the town clerk or any member df the council without them being in a position to defend themselves, and he as Mayor, strongly objected and emphatically protested, and he told Cr. de Castro that he would not allow him to proceed. The incident then closed, leaving Cr. de Castro busy writing his notice of motion.