ARRANGED BEFOREHAND?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 53, 24 October 1931, Page 4

ARRANGED BEFOREHAND?

W.

GALBRAITH.

t (To the Editor). Sir/ — I should be glad of your spaci tb/reply tb a statement from Mr. R Griffiths in connefetion with his candi ddtufe for the hy-election and re ddritl^ published by you. Mr. Gr'iffi tfrs'Stated that he only allowed him self 'to be nominated for the vacancj 6fi the borough coimcil when he learne^.'dbfihitely that I was not seeking rerOlbetion. I should like to assure the' ratep&yers, sir, through your coluihns ''■that I never made any such statement. It will be remembered that I issued- a challenge to the -Mayor Ffcgardiri g niy offering myself for reelection. - This did not expire untiJ Pfiday 'at mid-day so that I fail to s'de' hdW I could have made a definite statement that 'I was hot seeking reeleetion ori THursday afternoon when I^cfid hot know whether my challenge w&ia'ld be accepted or not. At the . s'dme time, I' would like it to be clearIjKiknderstood that I do not blame Mib Griffiths in any way. "• ^What actually took place ■ was this. On* Thursday -afternoon I was in cbnversation with one of the present councillors and was asked 'whether I ■tfr&s seeking re-eleetion. I said I did ilbt think so, but I did not say definifely 'that I had decided not to stand. However, cnrthe Friday, I was apihibaehed again by a number of- ratejlayers and I decided to allow myself ttT'be nominated. The next day I rriet'the same councillor who informed md that I had made a mess of things ahd that1 1 would not go back on the Works Committee again. This gen.tlema'n eonveyed ' the impression that the. disposal of the whole matter was tVith him. He informed me that he was goirig to have Councillor John- ; s'on made chairman of the Works Committee and put me on the Finance G&iftmittee. If his words could be take'n as any indieation, things were very- much eut and dried when he spok'e to me. My impression that the, whole 'thing was settled beforehand is borne out- by the fact that everything he indicated duly came to pass at Wpdhesday's council meeting. Councillor Johnson withdrew the resignation he had recently tendered, to accept the chairmanship of the Works Committee, Council Smith was forefed to' remain on the Works Committee ahd Councillor Wackrow was transferred from the Drainage Committee to- the Works Committee to bring it up'to strength. This re-shuffle left a. vacancy on the Drainage Committee which is praetically the same personilel as the Finance Committee and tyhich appears to bemy eventual desolation. My reason for giving these facts is 'to draw the attention of ratepayers to.the fact that I am evidently to be. forced on to a committee where my, sei'vices will be of the minimum use to the borough. I find it hard to understand why any councillor should have had such an excellent grasp of the eventual intejitions of the Council some days before the meeting. A definite indieation may be taken from thfs as to the way in which council business mhy.be arranged beforehand. In myj opinion this sort of thing is certainly; h9.t in the interests of the town. Per- j sonaily I do not mind where I am placed so long as I am in a position,; where I can give my best service to tji.e ratepayers. At present it looks as though I am to be placed where I will have as little say as possible. ■ go far as the costs occasioiied by - ■' • ■ -

my resignation are concerned, I am j quite prepared to pay them in order ■ that they may not be a charge upon | the ratepayers. All I am looking for | is justice and in my opinion, Councillor Smith is to be congratulated upon the stand he took at Wednesday night's meeting. — I am, etc.

Rotorua, October 23.