BRIGHT INTERLUDE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21228, 26 September 1940, Page 6

BRIGHT INTERLUDE

EXCHANGE AT MEETING QUESTION OF REPORTS A lively exchange between Mr T. G. Reynolds, chairman of the trad- I ing and finance committee, and Mr | C. Lafferty provided an interlude at the Hamilton Borough Council meeting last night, but the incident passed over without any action being taken. It was during general business when Mr Lafferty, who had asked several previous questions, asked why there was no monthly report on the progress of the gasworks, and also why the trading and finance committee had not completed its report concerning the calorific value of the gas. Mr T. G. Reynolds stated that the office staff was inundated with work, but if Mr Lafferty would give some indication of what he wanted to know instead of asking general questions, he would endeavour to enlighten him. The monthly cash statement was on the table. When one of the councillors said the reports were mostly too technical to understand fully. Mr Lafferty alleged that the chairman knew nothing about the gasworks and had not taken the trouble to study the position. Extra Rush of Work

“Although we all know that Mr Lafferty knows everything about gas —and it might not be the type we are considering—l strongly resent his implication that I know nothing about the problems of the gasworks,” said Mr Reynolds. “I have spent hours with the gas engineer studying the position now and investigating the possibilities of the future.” Later when Mr Lafferty again referred to the gasworks and alleged that the chairman should be re-

placed by a man eager to study the position, Mr Reynolds objected to what he termed a gratuitous insult. In commenting upon the fact that a report or two that councillors were accustomed to receiving might not now be always available on time, the Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, said the war had loaded the council staff with a great deal more work. The town clerk, Mr W. L. Waddel, was also secretary of the Waikato Patriotic Zone and the amount of work that this entailed would astound councillors. In the meantime the | most important work was done first i and the other work when lime per- ! milted.