The Editor reports ‘I ran into returning Kapiti Mayor K Gurunathan just outside the cinema at Coastlands at high noon today.

‘Congratulations,’ I said, ‘and now we want our library books back.

‘It’s only for a year,’ Guru said (referring to the savage 47% ($192,000) cut he voted for in the libraries’ book budget).

‘No, we want those books back right now.’ I said.

The Mayor tried another tack — ‘there’s no room,’ he averred.

‘Yes there is,’ I said, ‘there are huge areas of empty floor space in the Paraparaumu Library — and the present bookshelves could go higher.’

He disagreed, so I said, ‘come with me now I’ll show you!’

But perhaps lunch was calling and he left hurriedly with new (Labour) councillor Rob McCann.

‘Perhaps it’s a case of how you like your Martini, shaken or stirred,’ said Rob.

‘Don’t worry,’ I warned him, ‘ we’ll be shaking and stirring until we get books back!’

( Rob McCann, true to his Labour roots — think Mickey Savage, Peter Fraser, and Walter Nash — is believed to be one of the five new councillors who want to get the book budget restored as soon as possible)