TROUBLE AT MARION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1921, 31 December 1918, Page 3

TROUBLE AT MARION.

OVER ANONYMOUS CORRESPONDENCE.

COUNCILLORS ASK THE MAYOR

TO RESIGN

The Mayor (Mr F. C. Wilson), and members of Marlon Borough Council arc not a happy family, and the former has placed himself in such a position that live of the Councillors have milled upon him to resign. II is a well-known fact I hat at Marton it has been a case of “pull devil, pull baker," municipally, for some considerable time past, but the latest development has arisen «thrmigh the publication of anonymous correspondence signed “Decency,” making an atlaek on some of Marlon’s best citizens. “Decency's” first contribution was in connect ion with the action of an organised band of workers operating during the epidemic period. When the doctors of Ihe (own were put out of action, certain men visited hemes, and took the tempera I liras of sick folk. The medical men duly received these reports in their own sick rooms and prescribed accordingly. The action of the V.A.D.’s was considered humane, ayd worthy of all praise, excepting b* the eyes of one individual, who .sought by means of anonymous correspondence (b throw discredit on the workers and the purity of their motives. Mr Frank R. H. Brice, a Avell-kimwn hind agent of the town, immediately replied (through the correspondence column of the Advocate) to “DecencyV nnjiisl and unwarranted criticisms of the actions of the workers concerned. This drew the fire in the direction ofi,Mi> Brice, and a vituperative letter appeared over the same nom-dc-phimc. The fat was then in the lire. Mr Brice lost no lime in dealing wilh the allegedly libellous production, and then came the startling announcement that the Mayor had admit led his responsibility for the publication of the letters in question, (hough tie said, he submitted the correspondence, on behalf of another whose name he was not in a position to disclose. The published statement of the Mayor's implication in tin 1 correspondence caused pained surprise among Ids friends, whilst, live of the member.-, of (he Council look the mailer more seriously. They have informed the Mayor by Idler Iha I I hey can no longer sil with him as chairman, and have suggested Ilia I he should resign. The latest development has created widespread ini crest.