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CALL FOR ROYAL
COMMISSION I
' V. . ' '
"Intrigue" Charge ihl
A Royal Commission "to investigate intrigue aricU
uiiderHond methods in the City Council" was called;/
for by the chairman of the public works committee (Cr..J
G. F. Pedersen) at yesterday's meeting of the Council.
Cr, Pedersen's action followed criticism of, his:d.e-r
sire to. have an order of the day withdrawn from the
notice paper of the Council. , y ;
As Cr. Pedersen left the committee chairman's sedt .
after the debate he said, "T his will be the last time. any-
body will abuse G. F. Pedersen as chairman of the- pub-;
lie works committee."
The order of the day,
which was subsequently
agreed ... to with only four
dissentients, reconimended
construction of a bridge
froih Spring-street to Wel
lington-parade south.
Cr. Pedersen said a Greater
Melbourne was not needed,
"but a Royal Commission to
investigate procedure in this
council was.
"I want to see the intrigue
and underhand methods and
many , other, things inves
tigated and brought to light
over this matter" he said.
"There are some dark pas
sages in this case, but none
of you are prepared to admit
it."
The- leader of the Labor
group (Cr. Barry, M.L.A.) in
terjected:
"Tell us what they are and
we might help you to. get the
Royal Commission.
Or. Pedersen continued:
"This motion regarding the
bridge was put on the notice
paper without my approval
purporting to have been, signed
by me/' Cr. Pedersen con
tinued. : . , :
"I was absent from the
mittee meeting which dealt
with the? matter. .
"I strongly object- to a
council ' officer patting a
councillor's name -"to any
document without' first ;ob- .
talning the councillor's ap
proval..
"This affects ,us all," Cr.
Pedersen- declared.
Cr. Bernard Evans said he
could not see why this mo
tion should not be .agreed to.
"This council either, dies of
fright or runs away from any
new constructional work what
soever," said Cr. Evans. '
The chairman of the traffic
committee (Cr. Kerr) . said
every man on the . traffic and
public works committe was
convinced this work should go
on as quickly as possible.
After the meeting Cr. Peder
sen said he regarded the whole
thing as a definite move by a
clique, to get :.rid ,;of, ihliri as,
chairman cf the. publio . ly orks
committee. \ . ;
-The Lord 'Mayor (Gr.1. Nil--'
sen) said a Royal Commission
was not necessary, -but -.ho-;'
/agreed the. administration'-'
needed a little 'tightening up" '
and would discuss. this with
" the Town Clerk. (Mr. Woot-
tbn) today.
Mr. .W'jottori said /the. order
of the. day complained of by
Or. pedersen was in "order//."
The committees had; ap
proved the bridge work pro
vided approval was given by.
the Railway Commissioners,
which had been obtained.
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