MAYOR AND RETURNING OFFICER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2768, 24 March 1910, Page 5

MAYOR AND RETURNING OFFICER.

INTERESTING DISCUSSION AT THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Half-way through -the proceedings at the meeting of the Borough Council last night it was pointed out by Cr. Collins that the outward correspondence had not been read. It was then explained that it had been omitted owing to an oversight, the regularity of the usual procedure having been interrupted by a deputation which had been received earlier.

Subsequently the correspondence was read by the Town Clerk, who road from the letter book. “Is there no letter to the Returning Officer at the Hospital elections”? asked Cr. Clayton when the clerk had finished.

' The Mayor said that there was a letter, which had been .sent by him, but not from the Council. He would refer to it at the proper time, and in the proper -place. Crs. Collins and Clayton demanded that the contents of the letter should be read. The Mayor: The letter is not one Tor the discussion of the Council at present. Cr. Collins again requested that the letter should be read, and Cr. Clayton contended that at least the contents of any letter passing through the Council’s letter-book should be made known to the Council, the same as any other letter. The Mayor then said that he bad had a request from a Tologa Bay ratepayer that a borough polling booth should be established at Tologa Bay. The letter was to the Returning Officer to that effect, but the Returning Officer had replied that he was not going to do so. Cr. Clayton: May we have the letter read, Sir, and the Returning Officer’s reply? The letter to the Returning Officer (Mr H. M. Porter) was then read by the Town Clerk, as follows: Gisborne, 11th March. Dear Sir, — I am directed by His Worship the Mayor to instruct you to make provision for a polling booth at Tologa Bay in connection with the election of members for the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to represent the Borough of Gisborne. This can be done without any extra cost by sending a few papers and a roll to the county booth at Tologa Bay. — R. D. B. Robinson, Town Clerk. Cr. Collins: Now let us have the reply, please, Sir. The Clerk then read the folllowing reply: Gisborne, March 12 Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your favor of the 11th inst. I regret that I cannot see my way to place a borough polling booth at Tologa Bay for the election of the borough representatives on the Cook Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. I may point out to you that returning officers bold a -position of great responsibility, which cannot be shared by anyone, and, were they open to any influences from candidates or otherwise, public confidence would he disturbed. At all times I am prepared to give every consideration to any suggestions -made, my wish being to serve the general body of electors as conscientiously and -thoroughly as is in my power, and if I make an error of judgment, the responsibility is mine alone. —iH. M. Porter, Returning Cfficer. When the Clerk had finished reading the reply, Cr. Clayton rose. The Mayor: I have already stated, Cr. Clayton, that the matter is no? open for discussion b- the Council. Cr. Clayton: Very well, sir. I consider it is most improper. If you rule in that way, sir, I can only say that it shows a remarkable amount or bias on your part. You are clearly infringing the rights of the Council. The Mayor: The matter is not for dis. mission at this time, Cr. Clayton. If you wish, to move a motion do so. Cr. Clayton then moved a resolution to the effect that the Council greatly regrets that the Mayor of the town under the circumstances of being a candidate for the election, should have taken any action which iniHit be interpreted as showing a desire to exercise an influence on the Returning Officer. Speaking to his motion, Cr. Clayton said that his reason for moving the motion was that he thought the action of the Mayor and the whole procedure was most improper. The Returning Officer wiw the sole judge of the placing of the polling booths, and he (Cr. Clayton) thought it highly improper for anv candidate to take advantage of liis official position and attempt to influence that officer. Cr. Collins seconded the motion. He endorsed the remarks of Cr. Clayton, and pointed out that the letter had been sent under the seal of the Council. If the Council was goinP' to allow itself to sit under such autocratic rule as apparently existed, it did not say much for the Council. He further referred to the fact that, in the presence of a- witness, the Mayor had had an altercation with the Returning Officer in the street, and had made threats against him. Continuing, Cr. Collins said he desired to draw attention to the rather significant fact of the outgoing correspondence having been forgotten, and not read' until called for. and also claimed that it was most unjust to the remaining candidates that the Mayor should have used his limn official position as a means to influence the Returning Officer in the matter of polling booths. Cr Kirk said that he agreed with all that had been said. He certainly thought- it would have been much better had the letter not been held back, but read with the other outward correspondence. He thought, with Crs. Collins ail'd Clayton, that where the Town Clerk signed letters it was always better that they should he road. He held that it was a most extraordinary proposal to suggest- that booths should he placed at Tologa Bay, but thought that* apparently the action of the Mayor was due to the fact that lie was under the belief that there was a. borough polling booth at To Karaka. He thought that the motion really amounted to one, of censure on the Mayor, and that out of respect to the dignity of the chair it should not be pressed, osnecia lly as the matter had been ventilated' as far as it had. The Town Clerk- said that the. Mayor had nothing whatever to do with the letter not being read. It- was purely h's mistake. He did not think it worth while to read the letter. The Mayor said that the. matter was not what some members of the Council would have it aooear to be. It was no new matter, and not the first time, a borough polling booth hadi been placed in Tologa. Bay. which indeed was the case, at the Harbor Board _ election. His suggestion /was one which would have entailed no expense beyond Fending a roll and a few napers to Tologa' Bay. There was nothing extraordinary in tin proposal, and the remarks that had been inado showed the. trend or

feeling of those who had spoken, which was simply to try _ and make trouble with him in the chair. Cr. Collins: It is the principle we challenge. The Mayor: I have always done what I thought the right thing to do. Do you suggest, sir, that I could use any influence on the Returning Officer which would make any difference to me in the election. Cr. Collins: You certainly acted improperly in threatening the Returning Officer. The Mayor: I have always acted, as m this matter, as I thought best, and shall continue to do so, without consulting Crs. Collins, Clayton, and Kirk. The reply I got from'the Returning Officer was by no means a courteous, one. Cr. Clayton: I supnose the gentleman who asked you for the polling booth at Tologa Bay was hostile to you as regards the election, wasn’t he? Th,». Mayor: 1 really could not say. Continuing, the Mayor referred to the fact that the County Clerk could fix the booths in the county, while the Mayor of the town could not make a suggestion. Cr. Collins: You cannot legally do it. The Mayor: No, not legally, but surely as a matter of courtesy. It has always been done before, and I cannot see where the wrong comes in. Cr. Collins: The wrong comes in in you threatening the Returning Officer Your Worship. Tile Mayor: That matter has not come before the Council. I have no hesitation in saying that things were not properly managed at the election, and there have been many complaints. All I can say is that I did what I thought was right and proper, and I did not for one moment consider what effect it might have in the contest. Cr. Pettie agreed with Cr. Kirk that as the matter had been ventilated, the mover and seconder should not press the motion. He did not want to be forced into a division, and notwithstanding the explanation which had been tendered he thought that the Mayor had acted wrongly in taking the action he had in the matter. He held that the arrangements for the election were good, and thought it was a great pity that any person holding the exalted position of Mayor should attempt to interfere with the work of the Returning Officer. He quite believed that in doing what he did the Mayor had no thought of the result of the election. He trusted the motion would not be pressed, as he would feel compelled to vote against it. Cr. Smith also urged the mover of the resolution not to press it. He certainly thought that a polling booth was altogether unnecessary at Tokina. Bay. and that the Returning Officer was really the only person with any authority in the matter.

Cr. Clayton, in reply, said that he utterly failed to follow those Councillors who, while agreeing with his views, had stated their intention of voting against him. As long as the actions and rulings of the Mayor were fair and unbiassed. lie had no wish to cause any friction. He had been credibly informed that the Mayor had threatened to have the Returning Officer removed from his position, and then got the Town Clerk to send the letter bearing the seal of the Council. The incident was a deplorable, one. and he was greatly afraid it was not a solitary instance of such happenings. Councillors might if they chose vote against their opinions, but he belt that the matter should be pressed, in the interests of good discipline, and whenever he saw an injustice being done to the Council or to an individual, he intended to raise his voice in protest, even if it were onlv a solitary voice.

The motion was then put to the meeting,- hut was lost. Crs. Clayton and Collins alone voting for it.