A FIERY MEETING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 233, 21 December 1927, Page 16

A FIERY MEETING

UPHEAVAL AT GLEN EDEN BY-ELECTION ISSUE Feeling in connection with the forthcoming town board by-election reached breaking point at Glen Eden last evening when Mr. A. J. Routley, who is seeking re-election, addressed ratepayers. The ratepayers’ candidate, Mr. S. Bourne, had addressed a meeting on Monday evening, and ti was Mr. Routley’s turn last evening. Mr. W. P. Levy presided. Mr. Routley expressed the view that had a certain action in which he had been concerned not been taken to court there would have been no cause for an election. Although the rates had been increased he considered them not as serious as had been made out, and were fully justifiable. Regarding the Audit Department’s tag on the balance sheet, he did not believe for a moment that it would have been possible for the department to overrule the judgment of the court, which had characterised the case as trivial. On the platform were several members of the board. When Mr. Routley had finished they endeavoured to explain certain matters relative to administration, but their efforts only added fuel to a smouldering fire. Interjections were frequent, and pandemonium reigned. The chairman invited one of the interjectors to go home if he did not desire to listen in silence. This only accentuated the position and the hostile element demanded the chairman to sit down. He was heckled at length * and a woman was noticed to wield an umbrella in the face of one of the interjectors. Mr. Sheppard was able, however, to make it clear that he was wholeheartedly in support of Mr. Routley’s candidature.

The meeting got out of control, the chairman's ruling that no one in the hall be allowed to make a speech being entirely ignored, members of the audience freely criticising the actions of the board.

At question time Mr. Routley was subjected to a running fire of interjections, but managed to answer several The meeting broke up amid shouting and jeering after the chairman had declared it closed.