BOROUGH COUNCILLORS RESIGN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 225, 17 January 1911, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCILLORS RESIGN

TO ( OMI'I.Y WIT]). TilK LAW. RESIGNATIONS ACCEPTED WITH REGRET. "I regret very much indeed that the cjneiuliiients in the Act have made it necessary for such able men to resign their seats on the Council/' said His Worship the .Mayor at the Council meeting last evening in referring to the letters of resignation which had been read from Crs. liellringer and Doekrill. Continuing, His Worship said that they had spent a great deal of time and had given much assistance and help in the work of the Council for the benefit of the ratepayers. The position was not peculiar to their Council, but affected the whole of the Dominion, and not only municipal but also a large number of other local bodies. He was quite certain it would be the means of keeping a goou many able men from acting in a public capacity, liven if Crs. liellringer and Doekrill had not sent in their resignations, their seats would stand vacant from the Ist January. Cr. Mannix asked if it would not bo possible to do as had been done in llasterton, and have the contracts (which were the means of disqualifying the councillors) cancelled. Ilis Worship: That is not for the Council, but for those who are interested. There is only one course open, and that is to receive the resignations. Cr. Gilbert said he could not see how the Council could avoid keeping the law. They must face the question. If they could possibly put off the nominations for a month or so, no one would fee) inclined to be nominated for perhaps one meeting. Cr. Gilbert said he greatly regretted that C'ra. liellringer and Doekrill should have to resign, as they lmit in many instances given good advice at meetings, and thoroughly understood the whole process of the Council's work. While he had not always agreed with the opinions expressed 'by those councillors, lie was pleased to say that once out of the Council room all were the best of friends in spite of what had been said at the table.

His Worship moved that the Council receives witn regret the resignations of Crs. Bellringer and Dockrill, and places on record its appreciation of the many years' service rendered to the public by these councillors, and regrets the amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act has made it necessary for these councillors to resign their seats. In doing so, he said he personally regretted very much that the occasion for their resignations had arisen, but the law had to be observed. Cr. West seconded the motion. Cr. Clarke said he had been wondering how he stood in the matter. He had not seen'a copy of the Act, and could not get hold of one. His Worship said the Council had sustained the loss of two very able councillors, who had for many years looked after the interests of the ratepayers. If the law was going to debar men of such experience and ability from holding office it would have a very bad effect. It was said that they wouid gev men of leisure, but the question was, would they be able to obtain the services of those who knew the work as these two gentlemen dicj. The motion was then put to the meeting and carried. In further conversational discussion His Worship said Cr. Clarke only held an insurance policy with the Council, and a member asked if Cr. Clarke got £lO out of it, to which Cr. Clarke replied that that was not the point; his firm had a policy the premium of which was over £lO. " His Worship: If he takes part in the meetings he is liable, Cr. Clarke: If I come under the provisions of the Act I am.