ENQUIRIES IN PUBLIC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 3 August 1937, Page 2

ENQUIRIES IN PUBLIC

CITY COUNCIL’S DECISION. DENIAL OF “SPYING.” Statements were made by Cr. J. Hodgens, M.P., at a meeting of the Palmerston North City Council, last night, that he had been told, outside the council, that a “spy system” was operating in all departments of the council. A denial was given by the Mayor (Mr A. E. Manstord), who- sa.id that, so far as he was concerned, of course, there was no such system. Cr. Hodgens proposed that in future where matters were raised calling for an enquiry, the enquiry be held by the full council in opeii meeting. The motion was seconded by Cr. J. T. J. Heatley and carried without dissent.

“It is freely rumoured in town that there have been other enquiries apart from these two,” said Cr. Hodgens, in referring to the minutes of evidence taken in n.n enquiry conducted by the lighting committee as to an incident at the gasworks, which was the subject of a report of the proceedings at the last meeting of the council, and referring to the major enquiry, which occupied the attention of the council in all for about * year. Proceeding, Cr. Hodgens said be had been informed that an enquiry h».d been held following the publication of a letter, signed by certain employees of the gas and electricity department, and that as a. result of that enquiry certain men had been threatened with dismissal. It was .also said that another enquiry had been held n.t the gasworks, when certain men had been questioned by the Mayor and Cr. W. B. Tennent. Tt was also said that another enquiry had been conducted by the Mayor where workmen had been laying the gas main to Massey College, and that on that occasion the Mayor had heard only one side of the dispute. That was quite an epidemic of enquiries. NVhen the major enquiry had been in wrogress the speaker had been accused of trying to make it “spin out.” He certainly had not contributed anything to the epidemic of enquiries that had hit the council, and surely he could not be accused of wanting the first enquiry to “spin out.” “It has been suggested that in every department of the council —since midway through the major enquiry—a sort of spy system has been set up,” said Cr. Hodgens. If that was the feeling abroad, that a system had been set up to cut the ground from under the heads of the departments, then it was time that the council had an enquiry in open meeting. It should not be tolerated. Where would it end? How could the heads of the departments give of their best when some one was spying with a view to putting the worst possible view on their actions? The speaker moved that in future any information that should only be dealt with by enquiry be dealt with by the full council in open meeting. He thought that would be the onlv way to “nip all these things” and the only way to prevent their continuation.

The motion was seconded by Cr. Heatley.

The Mayor said his only reply to Cr. Hodgens was that he should not listen to all the whisperers that came along to him. The alleged enquiries were purely allegations. There had been only the two as far as he knew—one by the lighting committee and one by the whole council.

Cr. Heatley: But one was an enquiry—

The Mayor: The council deputed the town clerk to bring down recommendations in one case, of which the evidence has not yet been typed and brought before the council.

Cr. Hodgens: Did you not hold an enquiry in your room after the publication of the letter from the employees ? The Mayor: Not in my room. No. You have been misinformed.

Cr. Hodgens: I do not think 60. Did you not have in your room? The Mayor: No. Cr. Hodgens: Did you not cross-ex-amine on these premises? The Mayor: No. Cr. Hodgens: Did you not examine at any time? The Mayor: Oh, yes. Cr. Hodgens: And suggest that he had every possibility of losing his job because lie signed a letter that was signed by 98 per cent, of the employees concerned? That to my mind was an enquiry. The Mayor laughed. Cr. Hodgens: There was that other matter —of the gas mains. One man was questioned, but the other had not the honour of having a discussion with the Mayor. The Mayor: Mr J. W. Muir (the gas manager) was there, too. Mr Hodgens: 1 may have been misinformed. I was under the apprehension that the Mayor was there solely. However, I move the motion. Otherwise the whole outfit is at sixes and sevens and no one will know just when he might be summoned by an enquiry, and threatened with losing his job. The motion was then put and carried, not a voice being raised against it. Cr. G. Tremaine rose to refer, before the motion was lost sight of, lie said, to the allegations of a spy system spoken of bv Cr. Hodgens. Cr. Hodgens pointed out that he was speaking of statements conveyed to him from outside.

Personally, said Cr. Tremaine, he could not conceive that such was a fact. If that statement was allowed to go out without contradiction, without a categorical denial from the Mayor, people might think that it was a. fact. He did not think that any member of the council would believe that such a system was in operation. The Mavor: As tar as I am personally concerned, of course, there is no spy system. , _ , , Cr. Hodgens: Tt says here, I do not just know where (indicating a report of an enquiry), that vou “have means of obtaining information that is not available to other members of the council.” . . The Mayor: That was in reference to a. traveller. A traveller who was there and certain information he was able to give. Cr. Tennent said he wished to make it quite clear that he had known nothing of the enquiry at the gasworks, with which his name had been coupled. He bad not been there for a year or 18 months, except to purchase coke. He would not like.anybody to think that he had been mixed up in the business. The discussion qndert at that point.