DEPUTY MAYOR BAITED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 785, 4 October 1929, Page 11

DEPUTY MAYOR BAITED

COUNCIL MAKES MERRY WITH UNPOPULAR MOTION MUCH ADO ABOUT SPEECHES When Cr. A. J. Entrican put a proposal before the City Council last evening to cut short the eloquence of members by reducing the time allowed for speaking to motions, he was asked in effect to “take the mote out of his own eye.” His well-intentioned scheme met with an unsympathetic reception, the deputy-Mayor being subject to a fire of good-natured banter, particularly from Cr. T- ! Bloodworth. rpO the surprise of members Cr. J. i -L R. Lundon never once spoke ou j any subject during the entire course of the meeting. He was said to have j wagered that he would maintain a j silence. Under existing standing orders the i mover of a motion and the Mayor ’ may each speak for 20 minutes, ' and j reply for 10, and other members for j 10 minutes only. Cr. Entrican moved “That no member shall, unless by a vote of a majority of those present, speak for more , than five minutes at any time in any debate of the council; but the Mayor j may, at any time, and the mover of a motion may, when introducing such j motion, speak for ten minutes, but no j longer.” “My object in moving this is j simply to ensure that in future coun- j oil meetings shall terminate in rea- i sonable time.” said Cr. Entrican. “To- i night—it was then B.3o—is a very | fine exception to the rule that has obtained for so long. Three hours are quite sufficient to transact council business. There is no necessity for the long-drawn meetings of the past months. There is no idea of curbing any man who has something important to say,” he assured the council. Cr. B. L. Bagnall seconded. AGREED WITH THE SPIRIT “I agree with the spirit but not with the letter of the motion,” remarked Cr. G. W. Hutchison. He disagreed so far as the motion affected the time allowed to the Mayor and the mover. He had found that there was no provision for extending their time. Cr. Hutchison moved the amendment, and Cr. M. J. Bennett seconded, that provision be made for extending the time of the Mayor and the mover, if a majority agreed. Cr. Ellen Melville could not support either the motion or the amendment..' The council had been able for many years to conduct its meetings with dignity and decorum under present standing orders. Just because councillors had of late given ! way to excessive eloquence was no . reason for permanently cutting short their time allowance. Cr. Bloodworth remembered the time a few years ago when there was no limit to speeches. Last year Standing Orders had been amended ' so that the mover and the Mayor could speak for half an hour in all. ; and the rest of the council 10 minutes.

“Next year we will find that the Mayor and the mover will be cut down and the rest of us will not be allowed to sxieak at all,” observed Cr. Bloodworth drily. “It is strange that Cr. Entrican, who is one of the greatest offenders, should move this sort of motion. I like to hear him speak —he has good sense and gives information, which is more than can be said of most of us.” It was quite wrong to cut speeches as the motion proposed. A Voice: It is done in Parliament. Cr. Bloodworth: It is not done in Parliament. Members may speak for 10 minutes, but for four times in cer-! tain cases. i

It was nonsense to suggest the council's business could be trans- i acted in three hours. “I can see j this is aimed at Cr. Entrican and me,” j said the councillor amid laughter. ■ The by-laws provided plenty of safeguard without the necessity for the motion. Both the motion a.nd the ' amendment should be withdrawn. I Councillors could trust their col- ; leagues to close down on long-winded speakers. TALKED OUT .OF COUNCIL

“I have been a councillor for 14 or 15 years.” said Cr. J. Dempsey. "There have been talkative members who have talked themselves out of the council—ratepayers have dropped on them.” (Sickly smiles from some councillors.) The motion reminded Cr. P. N. Bartram of the camel which tried to cure its own hump. Cr. Entrican only beat the camel down the straight. Cr. W. H. Murray came into conflict with the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, when he hinted that some councillors were permitted to speak three or four times and others only once or twice. “Are you casting reflections on my impartiality?” his Worship challenged.

Cr. Murray was hurt, but repeated a statement with a similar innuendo. Mr. Baildon called him to order sternly and Cr. Murray pursued the motion no further.

Replying, Cr. Entrican was surprised that he had been one of the chief offenders. If the bringing up of the motion had had the effect of reminding the council of its dignity \ then its end was served. At present, however, if a man so desired he could keep the council sitting until midnight.

Cr. J. R. Lundon (fervently): Hear, hear.

Cr. Entrican: For instance, we had six notices of motion not long ago. (Laughter, directed at Cr. Lundon.) "Oil, well,” remarked Cr. Entrican, perceiving that his motion had fallen on barren ground, “perhaps the last few meetings have only been an earthquake—a kind of volcano.”

He then withdrew his proposal, and Cr. Hutchison followed suit with the amendment.