Newmarket Council Carries on War

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 434, 16 August 1928, Page 11

Newmarket Council Carries on War

TRAFFIC-ROUTE ROW MAYOR “STANDS PAT’’ The business of the Newmarket ratepayers is still being accomplished around a very divided council table. At the council meeting last evening threats and counter-threats and conditional offers to resign were freely advanced by councillors and Mayor. A hot discussion which emanated from a resolution to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for authority to borrow £3,000 to construct a roadway to connect Morrow and Station Streets, was merely the continuation of a long-standing dispute upon traffic routes and tram stops which has divided seven of the nine councillors against the Mayor. The resolution was advanced by the section of the council represented by the seven opponents of the Mayor, Mr. S. Donaldson. A requisition containing the signatures of 231 persons objecting to the application was also submitted to the council. Mr. H. Gregory moved that it bo added to the resolution that a copy of the petition be presented to the board. The Mayor moved that the request of the petition be given effect to, and that the work be not proceeded with. Mr. H. J. Cooper: You are only speaking far your own case. The Mayor: I am speaking on behalf of the and am quite willing to stand the responsibility. Mr. Cooper: There is nothing to be afraid of; there is nothing to hide. Mr. Smerdon: If the ratepayers had considered the petition a little more fully they would not be petitioning in this manner. A few weeks ago, he said, a petition had been put on the road and the Mayor had criticised a councillor for taking an active part. Now the Mayor had associated himself with a petition, and he asked if that was consistent. Mr. Cooper mentioned that on August 10 of last yea.r the council had unanimously decided for the resolution, and he asked why the Mayor had now changed his mind. The clerk, referring to the minutes of the meeting in question: The resolution was adopted on August 10 last year by the council in committee. Mr. J. Hardley spoke of the discussion on the new traffic outlet and said that at that time the Mayor had said that if the work were done they would have to pay for it. The Mayor was to blame. “You admit that you assisted in getting the petition signed,” he said, addressing the Mayor. “It is a position I would not like to be in.” The Mayor: I am proud to be in the position and I have no apologies to make. The ratepayers of Newmarket will make every legal effort to prevent the resolution coming into effect. Mr. Gregory: I have made a challenge through the papers, but I have had no answer. You have been wanting to get rid of me for a long time, and now is your chance. He supported his challenge by saying that he was willing to resign his seat and donate £SO to charity. “You could not honestly do it,” he said. “It is up to you.” The Mayor said he would resign iH the advocates would do the same and offer themselves for re-election. Mr. Gregory said he was issuing a challenge on facts and that the odds were on the Mayor. Mr. Hardley: I have more confidence in the ratepayers than in yourself. After further discussion the Mayor said he was going to put the amendment that the resolution not go forward. He called for a show of hands and the only voters for the amendment were himself and Mr. C. H. K. Mountain, the seconder. On the motion that the resolution go forward the only dissentients were the Mayor and Mr. Mountain. A second resolution to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to borrow £ 3,000 for the purpose of improving Crowhurst Street and Morrow Street was lost, the only voters for the motion being the Mayor and Mr. Mountain. A third resolution to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to borrow £450 for the purpose of installing a fire alarm system in the borough was carried unanimously. Later Mr. Cooper asked the Mayor to withdraw a remark which he had made at a previous meeting and which had been published. The Mayor had stated that there were three councillors who did not support the Osborne Street scheme until they saw that they or their firms would profit by that scheme. The Mayor had said that Mr. Cooper had opposed the scheme until he had purchased a certain piece of land. Then he had become an advocate of what he called the greatest scheme ever introduced in Newmarket. Mr. Cooper said that he and his two sons had bought the section in December. In the July prior to that he had been a strong advocate of the scheme. He offered to sell the section to the council for what he had paid for it, thereby losing £SOO in increased value. The Mayor refused to withdraw the remark.