CHARGES REFUTED

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19897, 28 May 1936, Page 8

CHARGES REFUTED

MAYOR’S STATEMENT. INCIDENT IN COURT. COUNCIL AND EMPLOYEE. At a meeting of the Borough Coum eil last evening the Mayor. Mr J. R. Fow. made the following: statement in reply to criticism oi’ the council made during a case on Monday in the local Magistrate‘s Court—“ The statement which. from a report contained in the \\‘aikato Times of last evening. \\'a! made in the Court by .\[r A. R. George that. he had been dismissed from the council on account of an attachment order is contrary to (act. So emPloyec ni’ the council has at any time been dismissed for such a reason. Consequently the criticism levelled at the council by the solicitor. Mr A. L. Tompkins. and the Magistrate is without any foundation whatever. “The position is that. on Friday. May 15. George was being paid and he was informed that the attachment order had been put in and the council was only able to pay him the sum of £2 as a result. He stated. in the presence of the foreman. pay clerk. and others: ‘Well. I am finishing up to-night. They are not going to get this; I am going on sustenance.‘ George, in view of his large family. has been treated very liberally in the matter of employment by the council —much more liberally than his conduct or ability warranted. and it would appear that it there has been any unfair treatment or want of considera—tion for him it, has been on the part of the Standard Trading Company and its solicitor. Mr A. L. Tompkins, in applying for and obtaining an attach—ment order compelltng the council to withhold all but £2 of his wages of £4 12s per week." Opinion was expressed by several councillors that statements such as those made in the case in question did a great deal of harm to Hamilton.