NINE COUNCILLORS RESIGN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2801, 23 October 1924, Page 2

NINE COUNCILLORS RESIGN.

FROM MASTEUTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. Masierton, October 23. At the Borough Council meeting to-night, after a stormy debate in which much personal feeling was in evidence, nine councillors resigned as a protest against the Audit Department. The Mayor, who refused to resign, was subjected to considerable criticism from the Council table. The committee set up at the public meeting last night was success-, fu! to-day in collecting sufficient money (about £80) to pay the tines and costs.

As a result ol MaHm'ton borough' ( iomciilors recently being fined £5 each ia the action brought by the Audit Department for the wrongful transfer of loan money from loan account to general account without authority, a public meeting of protest convened by the Chamber of Commerce in that town on Monday night resolved that the councillors >iiould not he called upon to pay the lines in the recent Supreme Court action, and that an appeal be made to the Associated Banks to provide for a set-off between debit and credit balances on local body accounts (states a telegram). By the councillors’ action the ratepayers beneliled to the extent of £222. and the Mayor strongly protested against the Audit Department's action in prosecuting one council and allowing other councils to go free tor a similar offence. It was stated that ; ,s the result of the prosecution, the siiiinu council, with the exception of the Mavor. and one councillor, elected recently at n hy-elcction. had decided to resign.