Councillor Resigns over Bailey's Garage Stoush!

Bailey's Garage, Gunning NSW. Photo by Mattinbgn via Wikimedia (CC BY 3.0)

GUNNING SENSATION 

Brush in Council 

Councillor G. E. Ardill Resigns

The matter of erecting iron buildings in the town of Gunning - twice prohibited by resolution of the Shire Council during the past year - has been before the public a good deal lately, and a climax was reached at last Tuesday's meeting of the Council when Cr. Ardill resigned his seat, on principle, rather than sit on a Council that failed to enforce its resolutions. The discussion was brief but warm. After the breach in the regulations had been referred to Cr. Ardill said that there was an excuse for a second mistake. 

The President: I don't like a man to stand up and defy me. 

Cr. Ardill: Neither do I. As a man told me, we might as well have six clothes pegs instead of councillors here. The Council should stand by its resolutions. I, for one, am not prepared to stay in the Council. If we do not stand by our decisions we should not be here. 

Cr. McInerney: Apparently no one has replied to Mr. Bailey. It has never been dealt with. 

Cr. Ardill: Then the officers of the Council are to blame. At the last meeting I stressed the.point particularly, for the Council to give the Engineer instructions so that he would know what to do. I don't want to beat about the bush. I do not blame Mr. Bailey in the least. I blame the engineer. The instructions were laid down. Apparently, the engineer forgot all about them, or ignored the decision of the council. It makes a laughing stock of the Council with the whole community. 

The President: I don't think that there is anything to be done unless you move a resolution, Cr. Ardill. 

Cr Ardiill: If I moved a resolution it would be "that the engineer's services be dispensed with for not attending to his duty." I move that resolution Mr. President. The motion lapsed for want of a seconder.

Cr Ardill: If the council won't support my resolution it is really a vote of censure on me. If the council won't stand by their resolution, I feel there is nothing left for me but to resign. From this meeting I cease to be a member of the council. 

The President: Very well; I accept your resignation.

From: The Goulburn Evening Penny Post, Saturday 10 January 1925, page 8, via Trove.