“MT. ALBERT MUSSOLINI”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 650, 30 April 1929, Page 7

“MT. ALBERT MUSSOLINI”

MR. R. E. N. MATTHEWS CRITICISES PRESENT MAYOR ENGINEER’S DISMISSAL “During the last term the Mayor of Mount Albert has become a veritable Mussolini,” said Mr. R. E. N. Matthews, a candidate for the Mayoralty, addressing an audience of over 200 people at Edendale last evening. THAT was a title that would have been impossible in the previous term when he himself was on the council, continued Mr. Matthews. When he had left the council everything had been going smoothly and apparently the way was paved to success. But almost immediately after his leaving, the Mayor, Mr. Rhodes, had begun a policy of “reorganisation by dispensing with disloyal assistants.” Mr. Matthews quoted documents to prove that this statement had been made. “Now,” he said, “this audience is going to hear a lot this evening about the engineer. Mr. Cook, who was dismissed.” This engineer had been chosen by the unanimous vote of the council after the most careful and searching inquiries had been made for the best man. He described the work the engineer had done in his first year in making plans for a roading scheme and said that, even after liis dismissal for alleged incompetence, all bis plans had been adhered to. Cr. Buckly, of the Mount Albert Borough Council, who was in the hall, contested this last statement, but was given a bad bearing by the audience. Other councillors who were present also claimed that the plans had been departed from in later work, but they were howled down, amidst cries of “Put him out.” The speaker said that the plans had only been departed from in so far as had been found necessary while the work was actually in progress. More protests from the councillors in the hall brought more cries from the audience. “But I will go further than this,” said Mr. Matthews, a few minutes later. “Not only the engineer was dismissed, but also the foreman.” “Another mystery!” exclaimed a voice from the back of the hall. “Give us some of your platform.” Further protests from the councillors led the chairman to issue a rebuke and ask for silence. Mr. Matthews recited some of the works which he had advocated in the past and which bad since been carried out. He promised that, if he were elected Mayor he would do his best to have the electoral roll system improved, as he considered there were grave defects in it at present. He also advocated work oeing started on the Morningside tunnel, as a cure for unemployment. At the conclusion of the address a vote of thanks and a promise of support for Mr. Matthews was carried.