A COUNCILLOR PROSECUTED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 193, 24 November 1910, Page 4

A COUNCILLOR PROSECUTED

PECUNIARY INTEREST ALLEGED.

By Telegraph.—Press Asaociation. Dunedin, Last Night. At the City Police Court to-day MH Widdowson, S.M., heard a case against William Downie Stewart, city councillor, who was charged with taking part in the discussion of a matter before the Conned! in which lie had a pecuniary interest. Mr. J. F. Woodhouse appeared for the Informant (Mr. Jas. Connor), and Mr. S. Solomon for the defendant, who pleaded "'not guilty." The prosecution alleged that while Mr. Stewart was a member of the Dunedin Engineering and Steel Co., and also of the Council's electric power and lighting and finance committees, accounts from that company had been considered by those committees, and Mr. Stewart had voted and taken part. There was no suggestion of improper motive, but only that a technical breach had been committed.

Mr. Solomon showed that the account in question had been passed at a meeting at which Councillor Stewart was not present, and that on a previous occasion he had distinctly refused to vote on it. On the third occasion mentioned by tTTe prosecution lie was absent again. After the luncheon adjournment, Mr. W oodhon.se said that on further investigation he proposed to withdraw the information. Mr. Solomon showed that Cr. Stewart had abstained from discission on the account in question, and had even withdrawn from the meeting. His Worship dismissed the case, and ordered the informant to pay three guineas costs.