TROUBLE OVER A LETTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1915, Page 8

TROUBLE OVER A LETTER.

A BREOGZK AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL THE CHAIRMAN HOLDS OUT. NEW COUNCILLOR SLATED. Cr. J. E. Simpson will surely have cause to remember his first introduction into local body politics, for his advent into the Taranaki County Council yesterday, instead of being greeted with the usual and oftimes perfunctory words of welcome, was signalised by a breeze about the sincerity of which there could be no doubt for it lasted the better part of an hour.

After the confirmation of the minutes the chairman asked, and was granted, leave to make a few special remarks. Cr, Chas. Andrews, senior member of the Council being voted to the chair which Cr. Brown temporarily vacated.

C'r. Brown said that his remarks had reference to the Council and were also of a personal nature. They were in reference to a letter that had appeared in the Daily News on Nov. 30th, under the heading of 'Tress and Public Matters," over the signature of J. B. Simpson. He took strong exception to several statements made therein. H« had had nothing to say against the publication of Mr. Simpson's letter re insufficient advertising, but he thought that it was wrong for a paper to publish a letter that they knew to be incorrect, without commenting on it, and he would say it was wrong now. In defence of the returning officer he had made a, statement at the annual meeting of the Council and had shown that the advertisement calling for nominations had appeared in the Daily News, as in the other papers, and he now produced the account for advertising from the Daily News, which should be convincing enough to Mr. Simpson and his friends. Personally, anything they said did not. surprise him. He denied that he had said he would please himself. What he had said was that lie could not please everyone. He was going to do what was right. He would then please one person, and that person was himself. Moreover, he considered that the letter was out of place coming from a councillor, for at the time the letter was written, Mr. Simpson was a councillor, and lie considered that if he had anything to say about one of the Council's officers he should have said it at the Council table and not gone to the press, where the officer concerned could make no reply. To say that the Council ever attempted to gag the press was qurte incorrect. The Council had never attempted to do so. and in confirmation he appealed to the Daily News representative present. The Council's correspondence file and minutes were always open to the press. He took the greatest exception to the expression at the conclusion of the letter "sample of Kaiserism." This he took as a deliberate d insult on the part of the man that wrote the letter and of the paper that published it. No man would be allowed to say that he had any sympathy with German methods. One of hia sons had been buried on the Peninsula and another had gone to the tront. )»o himself had offered his services to the Government in any capacity. As a farmer, also, he was doing his best to provide food. He had also two nephews and several cousins at the firing line. He took the words as a personal insult, and considered that if a man could not find any other term than the word 'Kaiserism" bad enough to use, he should have coined a word. Had the expression been made use to his face in the street he would have given the man a hiding or taken one. Councillors might have noticed that he had not given Cr. Simpson a welcome as a new councillor, but he could not do it. If councillors thought that he had not done right, he was prepared to tender his resignation. Cr. Simpson considered that Cr. Brown bad gone too far in nis remarks. He' claimed the right to criticise the statements of the chairman or the Council. If he used the columns of the press it waß because he recognised the power of the press as an educative factor. His letter was written from published reports, and if these were wrong it was the duty of the chairman to draw attention to the error. There were, he said, other factors that tended towards the hostility the chairman had shown him. The expressions of opinion relative to the polling day had caused him to write the letter. He could not help the reflection on the returning officer, over whom theTe must be some authority. If the returning officer had fixed the election for Friday on his own he would tell him tnat he had considerably inconvenienced the majority of the Moa ratepayers. For many years county affairs had been dead in the riding, and he instanced where tne three councillors had nominated each other and been returned unopposed. It was necessary for some one to rouse the interest of the ratepayers, and in doing so he had done his duty. Had he known that he was a councillor at the time, he might have waited to ventilate the matter at the table, though he claimed the right as a councillor to criticise the Council. The press, unfortunately, did not give elaborate reports of the meetings. If anything happened at the table which the press did not report he Would find means of getting it into the press. Cr. McAllum had referred to the Council as a ship with a commander and crew, but they must not forget the shareholders, who were tne ratepayers. If the ratepayers considered that be was able to represent them at the Council, lie intended to represent them. He had lately made many friends In the district, las the chairman would know later. Per-

sonally, he had a great respect for Mr. Brown, as a man. Regarding the reference to gagging the press, he said that was haw it appeared to many people. it would make no difference if hi spoke all day. In conclusion, he said that oilier councillors had received a decent Welcome to the Council table, whereas he had been met with a slap in the face, and that was a worse insult than Cr. Brown had received. Cr. McAllum pointed out that the returning officer was outside the Council's province entirely. According to the Act, the election must take place not less than 20 or not more than 25 days from the date of the resignation. Wednesday was the most suitable date, hut it wis out of question for tile election as the annual meeting of the Council was held that day. Friday suited ratepayers equally as well as Tuesday or Thursday, which were the only other available days. When Cr. Simpson used the word "Kalserism" he did not think that lie meant it to apply, personally to the chairman. It was an unfortunate word, but the sneaker felt that it was only usjd in the same way as bully or coward would be. Councillors and ratepayers must recognise that the Council had had no better chairman than Cr. Brown. Per? sonally. he was sorry the welcome hud been 'omitted. He hoped when Cr. S'mcson becams taflUjr with the Coun-

cil's working lie would hold a different opinion of the Council's procedure. 'The press seldom gave a full report, It was impossible that they could publish all councillors reiterations, but the main points were published. Cr. Morton thought it was a mutter of great regret that Gr. Simpson had not read the paper carefully—unless it was a gross suppression of the truth. Moreover, he thought that the editor of the paper should have put a footnote to the letter to the effect that the advertisement had appeared. He noticed that all well-conducted papers did this when correspondents were obviously in error. Had Cr. Simpson possessed more delicacy of feeling, ov a. better 1 knowledge of etiquette, he would have known better than to attack the returning officer, who could not reply thrdugh the press. He endorsed Cr. McAllum's remarks, and added that one day was equally as convenient to ratepayers as another. If they could not find sufficient interest to record their vote on a Friday as on Wednesday they, and not the Council, were lacking. Cr. Simpson had said that for years past the Cumcil had shown laxity and neglect in the Moa Riding. This reflected not only on the members of the riding, but on the whole Council. He could not, however, refer to one specific instance in which the interests of the Moa Riding had been as well looked after as the other ridings. Regarding the term "Kaiserism,'' he thought that the chairman had taken.the term stronger than was meant, but he thought Cr. Simpson should fully and freely withdraw it.

Cr. Laurence thought it peculiar that the election had been held on Friday, but he was satisfied with the explanation given at the annual meeting. .

Cr. Connett said he was satisfied that there had been no hole-and-corner business on the Council since he had been a member. If there had been he would have been the first to protest.

Cr. Binnie did not think the Council should have taken any notice but should have extended the usual welcome. Had the word "autocrat" been used instead of "Kaiserism" it would have conveyed what the writer meant.

<jr. Simpson said that he referred lo the apathy shown by ratepayers in the riding. He asked definitely if the advertisement appeared in the Daily Newa ( because over 50 people who were looking for it could not find it. The advertisement had also slipped him, altogether. He was quite satisfied with the explanation given re the day of election. He had written as a ratepayer, and declined to be held responsible as a councillor, and he had given expression to the views of the people of the district.

Or. Brown said that he did not object to legitimate criticism. He did object to the word "Kaiserism," and would not have it.

Cr. McAUum moved: "That this Council has every confidence in its chairman and regrets the remarks that have appeared in the letter published in the paper dealing with his personality." He did not think that the word, "Kaiserism" was meant in the sense that the chairman had taken it, but he could quite understand his feelings. The chairman had done good work and would continue to do so. If anything happened contrary to the ratepayers' interests, the speaker would fight for them, and not the chairman. •Cr. J. Andrews seconded the resolution which was carried. Cr. Brown said that he had felt hurt at the expression, and he would not take it from any man outside, whoever he was. He had no persona! animosity to Cr. Simpson, although they were seldom able to agree. Cr. Simpson' said that he did not use the term "Kaiserism" in, its personal sense.

The discussion then dropped, after Cr. Brown had pointed""but that the election cost £-22 10s lid. of which advertising represented a considerable proportion.

[We refer to this matter in our leading columns.]