HOT A ONE-MAN COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 4 June 1926, Page 3

HOT A ONE-MAN COUNCIL.

I IMPUTATION OF DOMINATION j RESENTED.

MR MONK RE-ELECTED COUNTY

CHAIRMAN,

At the annual meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Wednesday, the Clerk (Mr F. H. Hudson) took the chair at noon and called for nominations for the position of chairman.

Cr. Ryder nominated the retiring chairman, Cr. Monk. They were fortunate, he said, in having a most able and capable chairman. He had sat under him for eleven or twelve years and knew that they were very fortunate in having him at the head of affairs. He felt that they were in the middle of a big scheme and'they should retain their chairman until its completion. Cr. Bryant seconded the nomination, and said that they were in the middle of a big scheme, and he felt sure that, as Mr Monk had so well acted in the capacity of chairman during- the hard part of the work, it was only right that he should carry on.

Cr. Whyte, who said that during his nine years of office on the County Council the Council had proved Mr Monk to be a very able man and one who had the interests,of the County at heart. He was, moveover, one who had the confidence of both the Council and the ratepayers. Grs. Catley and Kilsby also eulogised the chairman's work on the Main Highways scheme and County work in general.

Cr. Jensen added his mead .of praise by saying that the chairman not only had their confidence, but he had confidence in himself, and he did not have to tsk for his information, because of long experience in the big scheme now in hand.

MUST NOT OVERSTEP THE MARK. Cr. McLeavey said he had watched the chairman's work on the Council, and he had rroved himself a very able man, but it was up to councillors to see he didn't over-step the mark in the ersuing years. There being no further nominations Mr Monk was declared re-elected. THE CHAIRMAN'S LEADERSHIP. On resuming his seat, the chair man said he was quite honest in saying that he cared little for such moments as th so, but where expressions of appro; iafcion had been voiced, he felt one could but endeavour to do the best possible far the County. During the term of 12 years in which he had the honour of beingchairman he knew he always had the Council's backing, but if a man did his duty according to his own light he sometimes had to inflict his opinion, not only' on the Council, but also on the ratepayers, too. One could not please everybody, and there were people who had s id of him that he inflicted his views on the Council,, and in fact that h" carried them into effect. Now, although he was chairman, he was also quite unable to carry anything into effect without the Council's sanction.- That was, he had to act as directed by the majority. Cr. Catley: Fear, hear. Continuing, Jhe chairman said that if he was aW? to bring forward a movement in which the Council concurred, he wcVnot carrying out his own ideas without the will of the Council, and if ratepayers would consider that aspect it would be far more satisfactory. l'i any case it didn't/ affect the speaker, very much so far as [that went, as members only came on the Council wHh but one object—that of making, things better. The past j Council had ('one this, and he was ipositive the fine viewpoint was beling taken by the present Council, and {everything wodd be done in the best interests of the Council. HIS OWN INTERESTS.

Had the speaker consulted his own interests and family, in more ways than the■ quer- ion 'of time, he might have gone on* of local body politics. But it had its compensations, and if they did then best no fault could be found.

The Main IT'ghways Scheme should be carried on to its completion, and although the present Council might not see it th fMiigh, yet the work should be ah-'ost complete when the Council went Hit of office. The project was one r>' (he biggest in the Dominion, and lie hesitated to think what lit would have cost the County during the n- v ;t few years had it "had the maintenr-ro of the roads cost upon it. The J,> ing did not bear thinking about a = the cost would have gone up by b-vps and hounds. Money was going to he tight, and there will be many diffVnlties in the way. but the Council h-ped to givf, satisfaction to the man r n the bank', who was watching the operations. The chairman also stated that, although, at tV time when this scheme was promote;', he knew very little of bitumen w/irk and the penetration method, he was satisfied that if the work was srfisfactorily carried out, the County was going to have pood roads. Whatever was done, letit he carried out as efficiently and economical]'-- "s possible. The year's work for the Works Committee was going to he an extremely 7 heavy one. nnrl would he spread from one end of the Countv'to the other. The financial side was a little problematical, but be had no doubt that the County won hi raise the money 't remn'red.

He felt th-t.the new Council would work well together, and if any councillor had an opinion.' let him inflict it on his colleagues. If the iden was a good one it would he for the benefit of the Co-mty. If it foiled to conconvince them. well, no harm was done. By pulling together they could

■make conditions very much better. As Gr. Catley had said, earlier in the morning, they must consider the economical working of their local body- - study economy as well as efficiency. Personally, be would de his bestmore than that he could not offer. SAYING “YES” TO THE GHAIRMAN. Gr. Catley said there was a very strong impression amongst ratepayers ■that ithe chairman dcnninated the rest of the Council and made it a one-man Council. “You know that being said and must have heard it. A reporter who sat for many year-, at the press table had said to the speaker: “Whatever the chairman says, you say Yes to it.” That idea came about through a very simple ihisunderstanding and Gr. Catley sain he wished to endeavour to correct it. It was the chairman’s duty to go through the correspondence—he was elected for that purpose—and to be as well versed as possible in its contents, as ho had to put the matters before the Council and help them m come to a decision. Councillors, on the other band, saw the correspondence about half an hour prior to tire meeting and wore not in as goou < position as tire chairman. Further, the chairman, being aware of all the circumstances, was able to make certain recommendations to councillors who, if in agreement, adopted them. But thev did not alwavs agree with the chairman as he well knew. ONE CHAIRMAN IN A THOUSAND.

Cr Ryder said he had stressed the point raised hv Cr. Catley scores of times. Everything was fully discussed at Council meetings, and he gave credit to the old Council for never having abided hv what the chairman said, without nulling it to pieces. The public, however, failed to realise that the Horowhenua County Council haa chairman who was one in a thousand, and who was most capable h: placing facts before the Council. The "chairman said he challenged anvone to snv that be carried out anything contrary to the wishes or the Council. rnucinors: "Hear, hear." "We know that."

The Chairman: Tf if has been mv o-ood fortune to give von a lead and one that, wifh vnur annrov*; tbf better. Tt save? a jollv lot of time.