BREEZE AT SHANNON COUNCIL MEETING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4418, 22 February 1930, Page 2

BREEZE AT SHANNON COUNCIL MEETING.

COUNCILLOR RESIGNS.

The harmony of the Shannon Borough Council meeting was broken on Tuesday evening after a vote had been taken on the question of granting a holiday on Saturday to borough employees, for the school picnic, on which G'r. Anderson did not vote (says the Levin Chronicle). Cr. Thwaites asked the Mayor for a ruling in the case <>f a councillor not recording his vote.

Cr. Anderson immediately rose to his feet and accused Cr. Thwaites of making a direct hit at him.

C'r. Thwaites disclaimed any intention of hitting at Cr. Anderson. He said the position had cropped up so often in the Council that he wanted to know the Mayor’s ruling on the point.

Cr. Anderson angrily declared that no one would force him to do what he didn’t want to do. The Mayor endeavoured to assure Cr. Anderson that Or. Thwaites had no intention of hitting at him. During the evening both Crs. Downes and J. Curran junr., had not recorded their votes on other questions.

Cr. Anderson was not to be pacified and heatedly asked the Mayor to accept his resignation. He said that since coming on the Council he had been hit at from all round the table and would stand it no longer. He would put his resignation in writing the next day. Several members asked him to withdraw his resignation and sit down, but he refused and left the room.

When peace reigned again, Cr. Thwaites said he regretted that any remark of his should have been taken in such a way. He said he never had Cr. Anderson in his mind when he mentioned the matter.

At the request of the Mayor the Town Clerk read the rule on the point raised by Cr. Thwaites, which is as follows: —“The Council shall vole by a show of hands and any Councillor present and not voting, not being disabled by law from so doing, shall be guilty of an offence and any member adjudged by the Council for any of the causes mentioned in any of these bylaws guilty of an offence, may upon motion, with or without notice, be censured by the chairman and such censure shall be entered in the minutes of the Council.”