Pukekohe Borough Council.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 212, 26 September 1916, Page 2

Pukekohe Borough Council.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—One passage in your report ot the last Council meeting calls fur some correction. 1 dd not vote for an amendment and then give my casting vote against it. I both voted for it with my ordinary deliberative vote and gave my casting vote for it. There was some comment or discussion and 1 was asked to give my casting vote for the amendment. After some hesitation I said I had already done so and bad declared the amendment carried, and that consequently the matter had been disposed of and the amendment bad been carried. 1 did not commit what would, in this case, have been the absurdity of giving mv casting vote in a different direction from my deliberative vote; nor the additional absurdity of assuming to alter my casting vote after 1 had declared the amendment carried. You further make it appear that I absurdly changed my casting vote because Gr Bilkty threatened to resign or go home, which was not the case.

I do not usually correct your repoit9, but 1 think it would not be fair either to the electors or to myself to allow to patß uncorrected an erroneous report which represents me as carrying out the duties of my office in sucb a contemptible manner. The matter is aggravated by your purporting to report me in direct speech, thereby giving to your report an appearance ot accuracy which has no basis in fact. If you purport to give my very words, surely it is not too much to *sk tbat you give them accurately.—l am, etc., H. G. K. MASON. Pukekohe, 25th Sept., 1916. [ln reference to the foregoing letter we would point out tbat in our report of the meeting we stated that "uncertainty" prevailed as to the fi«t vote taken aa the Mayor's voice was not distinctly beard. We s'ill assert, bowevtr, tbat the Mayor did state at first that his casting vote would be given "against" tbe pmendment, and such was accepted by the meeting as in accord with His Worship's previous explanation tbat having given a promise to Mr Roulston he might have to vote contrary to what he wished. The fact that immediately tbe Mayor had intimated that bis casting vote would be recorded "against" tbe amendment Cr Bilkey rose from bis seat with a declared intention ot resigning as a protest against the result of the votiog is proof tbat the "Mayor's vote waa understood by the meeting to bave been given in the way we indicated. We believe that all present at the meeting will substantiate the accuracy of our report but from the Major's letter it is evident that there was a misunderstanding, and that in saying he voted 41 against" the amendment he really intended to say "for" the amendment. — Editor. ]