“THE LAST IN AND THE LAST SERVED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 114, 4 August 1927, Page 18

“THE LAST IN AND THE LAST SERVED”

MR. PENDELBURY’S OPINION That the large audience at the public meeting called at Avondale last evening to consider proposals to amalgamate with the City of Auckland held a mixed opinion on the subject was very evident at an early stage of the meeting. The first speaker, Mr. W. Pendelbury, a member of the Avondale Borough Council, was subjected to a good i deal of interruption. Referring to a statement which appeared in a local publication, which described the Mayor of Avondale, Mr. H. Tiarks, as the local “Mussolini,” Mr. Pendelbury said he regretted very much that those responsible for the proposal should have descended to personalities. A Voice: We had nothing to do with it. Mr. Pendelbury: I was just going on to say that we appreciate very much

the fact that the committee had repudiated it. COUNCIL WITHOUT VISION Considerable uproar ensued in which applause and protests were equally intermingled. Mr. Pendelbury, when the noise had subsided: But, nevertheless, the fact remains that some one working for the proposed amalgamation put it in. (More disturbance.) Mr. Pendelbury: I hope that this meeting is going to proceed on business lines. If not, I am going to sit down. A Voice: Hear, hear. “I have a sore throat and I didn’t come here to be gibed at,” added Mr. Pendelbury. Mr. Pendelbury claimed that in their operations over the past few years, particularly in regard to transport and roading problems, the Auckland City Council had proved to be absolutely without vision. Traversing the City Council finances over the past few years, he claimed that the only result of amalgamation with the city would be the sharing in the excessive financial burden. “You will be faced with heavy taxation and as far as benefits go you will be out of sight and out of mind,” concluded Mr. Pendelbury. “You would be the last in, and the last served."