MAYOR AND COUNCIL ASKED TO RESIGN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2972, 8 December 1925, Page 3

MAYOR AND COUNCIL ASKED TO RESIGN.

AT TAURANGA. ( Tauranga, December 1. A public meeting at the Town Hall, attended by six or seven hundred people, was held last night to protest against the action of the Borough Council in connection with the resignation of Mr. Lloyd Mandeno, borough electrical engineer. The meeting was called by some twenty-two ratepayers, after the Mayor had ignored their request to call, a meeting. The Mayor, Mr. B. Dive, and the councillors were present, with one exception, and also the engineer. Mr. B. C. Robbins, an ex-Mayor, occupied the chair. The following resolution moved by Mr. C. E. Macmillan, M.P., was unanimously adopted: “This meeting of ■citizens and ratepayers of Tauranga desires to express sympathy with Mr. L. Mandeno, borough electrical engineer, in the unpleasant circumstances under which he is compelled to work, forcing him ultimately to tender his resignation, and its regret at the action of the council in refusing Mr. Mandeno an opportunity of explaining the position in open council.” Mr. Mandeno, on rising to explain his case, received an ovation such has rarely been accorded to anyone on a public platform in Tauranga. He explained that the Mayor had stated that he was not looking after the interests of the borough, and as a result felt that no course was open to him but to resign. He had endeavoured to get the Mayor to state specifically the reasons for such an assertion, and had requested the Mayor to come on the platform and state them publicly.

The Mayor contented himself with asking a few questions. A further resolution was carried, with a few dissentients, “That this meeting calls upon the Mayor and councillors to resign and reeontest the election against a ticket of candidates to be nominated at a meeting. It also resolved to set up a civic league to watch the interests of the citizens generally.