HASTINGS BOROUGH OVERSEER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9509, 9 May 1911, Page 7

HASTINGS BOROUGH OVERSEER.

HIS SERVICES SUMMARILY DISPENSED WITH.,

'-■The'Borough Overseer at. Hastings ..has had his services summarily ,die..pensGcU with, A special committee .was held at riOon on Friday to conekleit that" official's replies to certain questions, placed in writing before him. The queries were: Under* what author' ity did ho, after the execution of a contract, alter a certain clause in the specification and conditions with regard to payments to the contractor? Why he had ordered a certain large quantity of elabs without the requisition being -signed by the Town Clerk? And when taxed with giving this order,, why (lid he deny it?, Why, it was alleged, had he passed, in his certificate to a contractor,' 734 road pipes? Why he had called for tenders for 1500 tons of cement for channelling and sewer work when 1000 tons would be ample?

The official was called in and informed that the Council had decided not to grant his application for an extension of time to answer the questions. He was informed by the Mayor that the Council intended taking immediate action, and he was asked if he had anything to say { or any explanation to make. •/ He replied .that it was apparent to him that the Council did not intend to give him time to make a satisfactory . explanation, and, under, those circumstances, he would not reply to the questions then or make any explanation whatever at present. - The Mayor explained that there was nothing in the questions which required any time for answering, The Council's solicitors wrote, stating that they could dispense with the overseer's services immediately by paying him till next January, the date of, his- appointment. Also that he had no legal claim for commission on his sewer 'scheme which had been brought down in the Council's time. It was then resolved that his services, as road overseer for the borough of Hastings, be dispensed with as from sth May, and that he be paid his salary up to 16th January, 1912, in lieu of notice.

Mr H. W. Climie, C.E., was appointed to take temporary charge of the Borough Overseer's office and work 6 until such time as the new appointment is made.—Abridged from Napier Telegraph.