“PURE RUBBISH!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 851, 20 December 1929, Page 10

“PURE RUBBISH!”

UNUSUAL LETTER FROM CR. LUNDON MAYORS SCATHING REMARK ‘•For a sample of purs and unadulterated rubbish, that letter is hard to beat.” remarked the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. Baildon, in a voice of disgust, after a communication from Cr. J. R. Lundon had been read at last evening's meeting of the City Council. rpHli Mayor’s comment precipitated • a sharp passage-of-arms with the councillor before the incident closed. Cr. Lundou's letter was as follows: —"But three days before my advent, there appeared in the news columns of a morning paper the following expression of mayoral Intention in re modus- opeatandi of future civic elections and cognate matters, uttered on May 5 last, after recovering from the first shock of l-e-election. ‘‘ln view of the many expressions of opinion on the “subject, it is my intention to ask the council to appoint a special committee to go into the whole matter and report.” , “Following upon the nones of November,” Cr. Lundon went on. "outlast meeting hath been convened for a date not a week anterior to the anniversary of the Nativity, fabled throughout Christendom as the paternal period for the fructification of mans good intentions and for soporific satiety from (inter alia) overindulgence in the delectable fruits thereof. “May I commend to his Worship and to fellow-members of this august, introspective, and quondam esoteric corporation the sentient sentiment that further procrastination in delivery may incurably abnormalise an already much overdue parturition.” As soon as the clerk had finished reading, the Mayor made his remark in moving that the letter he received. “It ill becomes the chief magistrate of the city to refer to a communication as pure and unadulterated rubbish,” complained Cr. Lundon in a hurt tone. The Mayor: That is my opinion of it. Cr. Lundon: And it was your opinion when you used the word “duds” iu reference to a large number of the applicants for the position of city engineer. The Mayor: Deal with the question before the council. Cr. Lundon (heatedly): It is your duty to perform your office with due regard to ordinary courtesy. You have been signally deficient in courtesy. Your duty was to receive the communication as au ordinary letter to the council. Your remark was entirely out of order, and you would have been called to order had you been an ordinary councillor. I call you to order. The letter was received.