Westport Harbour Board?

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 56, 20 October 1887, Page 3

Westport Harbour Board?

The West port Times referring to Napier Bell’s resignation as Engineer of the Harbour Board says:— Much as we regret the course, we hardly see how he could do anything else. It appears Mr O’Connor has not thought it beneath him to anonymously libel Mr Bell in the newspaper, although he had written to Mr Larnach to say he was prepared to treat Mr Bell with the utmost consideration and kindness ; and further that Mr Colvin, chairman of the Harbor Board, has considered it his duty to turn up the corner of an important and perfectly respectful letter by Mr Bell and write thereon " This letter is an impertinence." Could studied annoyance go further than for Mr Colvin so to treat a communication of the Engineer's ? But Mr Bell’s most serious trouble has been the unwarrantable interference with the works by the chairman and members of the Board, and he finds that the expenditure at the present time is wasteful and the works far less efficient than they were when carried out according to his plans. It is painful for a place to nave to confess that it cannot manage its own affairs properly, but the Harbor Board management does not command confidence, and already proofs are given of the necessity of a change. We sincerely trust that the Government will make searching enquiry into the cause of Mr Bell’s resignation, and that a condition of the next guarantee will be that Mr Bell’s services be retained, and that the improper interference wbichhas hitherto taken place will be put an end to.