COUNCILLOR BROOKING'S RESIGNATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81877, 30 October 1906, Page 2

COUNCILLOR BROOKING'S RESIGNATION.

AN INFLUENTIAL DEPUTATION ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING. A deputation of thirty influential ratepayers in the Central Ward of the borough waited on Mr W. F. Brooking on Monday afternoon, and asked hfm to consider his decision to resign irom the Council. Mr R. Cock., ex-Mayor, presided, the Mayor being absent in Wellington. He stated that during his term as Mayor he had come to recognise Mr Brooking as the best man on the Council, a man who had given his best services t 0 the borough. Ho (Mr Cock) had found the people who so strenuously opposed Mr Brooking were doing so out of perfect cuss-ed-ness; they were non-progressive, and did not care a "tinker's jigger" for New Plymouth. Referring to newspaper correspondents' allegations that Cr. Brooking had run the Council into debt on the electric lighting scheme, he would remind them that the Council and not Mr Brooking was to blame, if anybody at all, for the Council adopted the reports and ordered the goods. Looking back over his long local experience, Mr Cock said that he could remember only one, the late Mr James Bcllringei,' who had devoted as much time as Mr Brooking had to borough affairs. It

was most important at this juncture that Mr Brooking should retain his -cat at the Council table, for the public were interested just now in the proposals to extend the electric lighting system ,and Mr Brooking was the authority on this matter. He believed in extending the electric lighting and /water supply to the .suburbs, as this policy would eventually return 25 per cent on outlay. Mr Hal. Goodacre endorsed these remarks. The Council had two big assets in its water service and its electric light, and these could be made to return bigprofits. But the olectric light needed someone to push it along, so that m ten years' time, instead of any councillor or Mayor being blamed 01 kicked, the ratepayers would laud the loresight of those who had inaugurated these schemes. It was possible now to damn the whole scheme, and they should get Mr Brooking to look after it. Mr Brooking had seen any. mistakes made in the past, and would thus give better service than could any novice who might reckon he knew all about it. Mr M. Eraser referred to his six months' service on the Council under ex-Mayor Cock. He had done lutle more in that period than to observe the working of the Council, and he had soon become convinced that Cr. Brooking was the life and soul of that body. He was the man they looked I to in practical work, and to him they turned to be put right on the many occasions when they went wrong. 'Willi Cr. Booking'away, the "Borough Council was fatherless, and it was a weak Council even when he tvas thore. Mr Brooking replied, thanking the speakers and those present for their expressions of goodwill and of appreciation. He had held office since

Seplember, 1596, and they would excuse him when he said, "I claim the right i u retire. Anyone who has been in the Council has enough of it in ten years/' The ratepayers might think so, too, and have had enough of him. (Voices in dissent.) 'He had given his best services, and had been interested in the work, which seemed but a bigger continuation of his own vocation of building. After all, he said, he had only anticipated his retirement by a few months, for he had made up his mind to retire next April, when Mayor and councillors would all go out of office, and not to re-offer himself for election. It was said that the next few months were fraught with considerable importance, -and that the'electric ligliting was m a peculiar state, Certainly more money had been spent than hail originally been anticipated, but they had also got more than was at first proposed. They had spent £17,000, and now needed another £SOOO to duplicate the plant, and this had not been expected for two or three y ears at least In the prfwnt'circumstances the lighting could not pay, and by the time the Government 'Buildings were !, s |,|ed from the tow,,' in--tallation. iherc would"be no current eft lor sale. "1 have done my besl during my lei'm as councillor. J oan not look back »u anything untrue or cl.K|„,„..Ht that I have done, or that

hi my up nion was not in the best interests of the borough and ratepayers. Hut after ten year, and under ch ; e present', iciitummances, I must really a-k you to aU<»w; mc to retire." Mr.Lorl- .-R irilct j ,„ tho aUack in the request that Mr Brooking should ■■'.How himself 10 In- nominaied tor service on the Council tip 'till April next, by which time they would have got over the loan matters, and then they jvould lot him out. Mr Newton King added h ; s solicitations, and suggested that Mr Brooking should hold his final answer until next day, thinkty.j,- wt ,j| over the position in'ihe meantime Mr Brooking replied. "No, gentle, men, I must ask you lo allow me to I'd ire. I've sent in my resignation, 't has been accepted by the Council •tnd Ihe notices arc out for a new eleclion. fi's no use making two bites it it. I thank you all very sincerely tor your expressions of goodwill anil ifor the. confidence reposed n me." Mr Cock said this wa" a very ser'ous matter, for the Council had no one well U p in the electric lighting business.

Mr Brooking steadfastly declined, stating lhat the Council had a firstclass man in Mr Black, the electrical engineer, who was a most reliable and exnort electrician, thoroughly in-tor-sfed in his work. Mr Newlon King- moved a f( .. v hearly vote of thanks to ex-Cmvncil-lor Brooking for his valuable services m the past, This was carried by acclamation,