“CAMPAIGN OF SPITE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 127, 19 August 1927, Page 13

“CAMPAIGN OF SPITE”

AVONDALE’S ACTION MR. TIARKS EXPLAINS "T SIMPLY fought spiteful opponents with their own weapons,” said Mr. H. Tiarks, ex-Mayor of Avondale, in explaining his resignation. He declared that a campaign of spite had been instituted against him within three weeks of his success at the last elections. Having failed to defeat him at the poll, his opponents had done the next best thing—they had stampeded Avt—dale into joining the city. Outsiders did not know the intrigue that had been carried on, and for that reason he resented ill-informed criticism. The fact that neither he nor the Deputy-Mayor had been approached concerning the amalgamation showed how its advocates had worked in an underhand way. "Where is Avondale now?” he asked “It has no council, because it cannot get a quorum, and it stands pledged to link with the City Council,, which has not got the confidence, as yesterday’s poll showed, of its own ratepayers. “My resignation gives Avondale the only kind of justice it is entitled to expect.” Mr. Tiarks added that, as far as he knew, the remaining members of the council were powerless. Cr. Manning was ill, and Cr. Ellis was in Fiji. Even if they had been home, he thought both of them would have supported him in his attitude, and resigned in sympathy.”