THE BOROUGH INSPECTORS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 211, 20 August 1927, Page 9

THE BOROUGH INSPECTORS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—The Borough Council are to be congratulated on their action in reappointing Mr. Fawcett to the chief inspectorship of our borough It is also gratifying to know that Mr Fawcett’s diplomas and certificates were the highest of all the applicant' who applied for the position, and the council should never have asked Mr, Fawcett to tender his resignation, but on dividing the appointments should have appointed him chief inspector without any demur. As it was, the system adopted of calling for applicants all over New Zealand and arranging for certain applicants to visit Hastings at the council’s expense, terminated in a fiasco, and a waste of money. Mr. Fawcett’s abilities being so much above all the other candidates, the council could not have adopted any other resolution than to appoint him. Further, they should have appointed him chief traffic director also. It was in this branch where us-.is gentleman’s abilities were seen to best advantage. He started with this town when “ratferty ruled.” and educated it to a marked degree in tlie correct way that it should go. and when he had it in nice working order, was asked to hand over to a junior.

With all due respect to the appointee 1 claim that this appointment should have been made from our own town. As none of the applicants find the necessary qualifications and ceiti. ficateg 1 maintain the council should have had no misgivings whatever about appointing a local applicant ’o the “under inspector’’ and having him trained by Mr. Fawcett, or, better still, why not transier say two of the members of the over-staffed electrical department to the new traffic department, and thus have a thorough system of traffic control in Hastings. The volume of traffic in Hastings warrants at least one ;n--spector on duty the whole time and if my suggestion of the transfer from the electrical department was made it could be done without extra expense to ratepayers, and erring motorists, etc.—who at present observe the numerous speed notices, by acting contrary to what they stipulate—would be made to increase the borough revenue in no small degree. 1 may state that bearing in mind the interest Mr. Fawcett has always taken in traffic control, and the splendid way in which he has controlled the race and show traffic, the council should still consider the placing of this department under his supervision. But whatever the council do it will be reassuring to Mr. Faw cett to know that his re-appointment has met with universal approval from the business people of this town and that he can accept their congratulations on his appointment. —Yours etc., A TRADER. Hastings, 19/8/27.