WAS IT.A FAIR DECISION?

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3944, 29 May 1913, Page 6

WAS IT.A FAIR DECISION?

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I was extremely surprised to read in this morning’s issue of the “Times” that a majority of the Conn cillors were in favor of dispensing with the Engineer’s services. I have no hesitation in saying that they have committed an error that will cost the ratepayers considerably more than has been lost thruogh. any alleged shortcomings of tho EngineerWhat guarantee can Cr. Wade give that the Council’s next Engineer will have, better qualifications than the present one? The probabilities are that w e shall be saddled with a very second-rate.mail from some out of the way place, who will have good testimonial and very little ability. Even granting that wo get a good man, it will bo fully 12 months before he. can get a thorough grasp of the position, and in the meantime another summer-will have gone and good time lost owing to the complete disorganisation of the staff. Other prominent members of the Borough staff will of a certainty not like the treatment accorded to their chief, and it would not surprise me to hear of other vacancies occurring on that account. I cannot help thinking that the personal e’ement has entered largely into the reasons of those Councillors who voted for Cr. Wade’s motion. To me it appears very unfair and unBritish to Mr Paterson to charge him with extravagance and inefficiency without giving him credit for all that he has saved to the ratepayers, and now that matters are beginning to show a promise of good results, he is to be deprived of the credit of his work. Undoubtedlv the estimates for all the works undertaken by the Conned were grossly under the mark, and the responsibility for this should be borneby the right shoulders. Then, again, neither in numbers or qua’ity can the same class of labor lie procured in a place like Gisborne as in larger centres, consequently the cost is greater here. I have only one. regret now, and that is that I voted at the late election for every Councillor who voted for the motion, but I am convinced that had the electors known at the time of the views of these same Councillors on the Engineering question, they would have been left out in the cold. One would think that a new Councilor like Mr, Sherratt would, as a matter of course, allow tilings to go on as they were for some time, and not take such an extreme course at his first seat on the Council. With a new Mayor and three new Councillors and a new Engineer, all new to their duties and responsibilities, one can easily imagine the loss of time and increased cost of all work undertaken for some time to come. The Councilor I am most disappointed with is Cr. Smith, who, being a sound, practical man, should have seen clearly the immense task imposed upon Mr Paterson in asking him to undertake the construction and supervision . of . waterworks, sewerage, electric* lighting, tramways, reserves, roads, bridges, etc., simultaneously, and to expect all this to bo done without a complaint being laid or a fault committed. Surely an angel from Heaven could not dp. ft. I seriously hope that at the next meeting of the Council a motion will lie tabled to rescind that of Cr. Wade’s for the sake of the good name of Gisborne, which will otherwise stink in tho nostrils of all Civil Engineers-. -—I. am, et-c., J. R. J.