THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2122, 28 June 1898, Page 2

THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

MR. MILLS IN EXPLANATION LIVELY MEETING. As notified by posters circulated throughout the town, a" meeting of ratepayers was convened by Mr Jas Mills in order that he might have an opportunity of refuting, certain charges brought against him. There was a large attendance, the Hall being compliftfly^Acked- . On the motion of Mr Mills; Mr Gilchrist was appointed to the chair. Mr Gilchrist, in opening the meeting, stated that he had no great pleasure in presiding. Mr Mills had come forward to meet an “ancient charge,” and no doubt a good deal of resurrection pie would be laidjbefore them. They had all done those things which they ought not to have doheV at least he (the chairman) had, and it. was I that spirit fie asked them to Mr Mills a patient hearing. ' ; Mr MiUe, in regretted the necessity for the meeting, "but ,"would do bis best to lay • his ■ case■: before them as briefly as possible. Certain charges- had: been madA against him in a local paper* and ke ifltended to show them the real facts of the case. Tbe speaker then related at some length all the circumstances in connection with their efforts to get Thompson’s Track constructed, It was decided that representatives from Te Aroha should go to Tauranga in order to circumvent an attempt which was being made there to divert the money to another purpose. He was pressed to make one of the number, but was unwilling to do so. He certainly could not afford to go at hie own expense, but was assured that all expenses would be paid. He went, accompanied by Mr Gavin and others, and as the weather was most inclement, he had suffered for it ever sinoe, as the exposure brought on an old complaiat, and a long period of sickn*s< was the result.

Oi their return from Tauranga he asked for payment of their travelling expenses at the first meeting of the Board. Members were quit© willing that the deputation Should be paid, but the question was raised as to whether the Board could legally do so, and he replied that he thought he could be paid under the heading of “ work done.” As there was some Uncertainty, he undertook to look up the Act before next meeting. He could not find it in the Act, but he made out a voucher, and handed it to the Clerk, Mr Snewin, who gave a cheque for the amount. As it turned out* this was was found to be improper, and the money was refunded, and .the amount of the expenses subscribed for by a few of the ratepayers. He thought the matter was done with, till about a fortnight after the cheque was paid, the Clerk called a meeting of the Board, and stated that he had consulted his solicitors, who had advised him to do so, and explain matters. He (the speaker) wanted to know why the Clerk had made .no objection at the time ; and why had he written out the cheque. Had he raised an objection at the tune the money wonld have been instantly refunded. The Government Auditor,* who came up in connection with the matter, explained that the money could have been legitimately paid under ‘The Public Revenue Act,’ a fact of course concerning which they were ignorant. Mr Mills then entered into an explanation, which tended to show that the Clerk in opening up the matter again, had been actuated by a feeling of enmity towards him. In conclusion he admitted he had done wrong he had made mistakes, but who was there who had not, No one had lost a penny by what had been done, and the Board had not even yet paid the money. Mr Snewin theta mounted the plat form, ani asked for an opportunity to explain his position as he was the Clerk at the time. Mr Mills hud told them that he had put in a voucher* but he did not tell them how that voucher was made out, and he (the speaker) would do so. That voucher was made out *Dr to J lines Cornea for work done at Lipßey’s Bridge, £5 19«.’ This was certified to by The' E gineer, and Mr Mills signed the voucher with the name ‘James Cornea’ across tbe stamp in receipt. He had consulted his solicitor, who advised him* tojcall the meeting and explain his position. If Ithe money was refunded no acti n could be taken by the Board, but cs it wars forgery, any private,individual could take action at any time. He objected to Mr Mills’ rf fleetion on his character, at anyrate, he was not a forger, and when anything could be brought against him, he was prepared to drop out of public life.

Mr Mills, in reply, repudiated the Idea of forgery. Before that could be done areal name had to bjj used, but James-Oprqesdid notu -earist, and so no man wasTwropged^ Mr Gavin then addressed tbe meeting. He regretted the necessity for discussing this subject, especially at such a juncture, when two old friends like Mr Mills and himself were contesting for the honourable position of Mayor of Te Aroha. He gave MiMills every credit for having agitated to get Te Aroha formed into a Borough long before he (the speaker) had ever thought of it. Mr Mill’s explanation was quite correct Up to the poi-.it where he related what took place at the meeting. Mr Mills deliberately tol d the Board that it was quite legal

to vote the money for work done, ai the Board unanimously voted % Vi the strength of that statement, j was prepared to swear that he ne saw the voucher, and has never it to thisvffiay, and Mr Mills li right to s£f they were in the boat. He had asked the 01 show him the voucher afterw that official declined to do Questioned repeated that voucher; it migF the table, but he ’ .. the other membb» ~ Continuing, M Gavin explained that after the e posure, Mr - Mills came to him as asked- him to have the matter hush up. He (Mills) did not care for him self, and was prepared to take al consequences, but there was a thii patty implicated, and they ought toi all they could to screen him. L (Gavin) agreed to this course, and th* was why he had remained si tit sc long. . Mr Hetherington, who was a mem* be?; of the Board at the time, W~ bhrated'Mr Gavin's statement, that! had never seen the fictitious vouch! He, person Jty, was anxious that t expenses should be paid, but he h no knowledge of the voucher whit was put in, and asserted that it was uever laid on the table.

Mr. Pavitt explained that he was the third party referred to. He had signed the voucher and certified to the work being done. He had done wrong in doing so, and regretted it ever sinceBut he got nothing for it, and had not done it with any evil intention. Ho wae asked to sign and did so, because he thought it was the only way to get .the money for those men who, he thought, were entitled to it. . .- Mr Gotz claimed a right to speak, as he was practically the accuser. He was editor of an independant paper, and claimed the right to criticise any aspirant for public honors. He had never spared Mr Gavin when he made any mistakes. They had heard the various statements made at the meeting, and on the admission of-|df Mills a falsified voucher had been presented. The question for the ratepayers was this, that if Mr Mills got into office, and they had a dishonorable Clerk and Engineer, what guarantee had they, that their money would be spent lawfully,. Mr John Wood, who had made repeated attempts to address the meeting, made hie way to the platform and * made a speech, the gist of which was U that if none of the Board m fibers bad looked at the voucher, thfey tehould have done so. No men should be elected who would pass vouchers - without looking at them. Anyhow the money, was paid back and no one Was the worse. All the members were alike blameworthy, and Messrs Gavin and Mills were two good men; a statement which was received with great * applause.... ' Mr Olein Gomes, who vied with My Wood in his efforts to ‘catch the Speaker’s eye,’was at last successful in ‘ getting a show.’ The burden of his remarks was that the forgery was not a wilful one, otherwise the Government would have prosecuted long , ago. He believed this present trouble had been worked up by Mr Gavin and his supporters, and hoped the contest would be fair and legitimate. - - Mr Mclndoe did not believe Mr Gavin had anything to do with working up this agitation, He was not a" aupp rter of Mr Mills, but at the * same time he thought it was only fair to bear in mind that Mr Mills had : always had the welfare of the town at heart, and had never spared himself in his efforts to further its interest, He *c« hoped that the contest between Mr V Gavin and him would be fought ought on f»ir and legitimate charges, and not in connection with lines which ought to have been put aside years ago. The supply of speakers, which at one time seemed inexhaustible, gay®*# out at this point, and the Chairman having asked if anyone had any resolution to move, Mr Sutton moved, “ That this meeting having heard the explanations, was of opinion that the matter should be left alone, and that it expresses its contempt at the manner in which it was brought for ward.” ~ This was seconded by Mr Mclndae, nnd on being put to the meeting was carried, without dissent. At the dose of the meeting Mr Mills - said that seeing all present, and that Mr Gavin was in the Hall, - he thought it would be a good opportunity to give his views on matters, and athhe was prepare - *... criticise the late administration s hoped Mr Gavin would wait. j . Gavin declined to do so, and pro tented* most emphatically against Mr Mills i making use of the meeting for such a '■> purpose. Mr Mills h«rHJ»ii@d- | public together for a specific purpose, and he had no right to take advantage ? of that in order to introduce fresh matters. Mr Gavin left the Hall declaring that this action of Mr M ; unfair, and was on a par with all hiother actions since ever he had known him. At this point there was a general exedous from the Hall, and Mr Mills abandoned the idea of tho proposed address on his municipal policy. The audience thenJHsporsed. .