The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1896. TOWN BOARD.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 177, 13 March 1896, Page 2

The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 1896. TOWN BOARD.

Mr Geo. W. Rogers, oa Monday last, resigned bis membership and the chairmanship of the Town Board. During his tenure of office he has proved himself a very efficient chairman and member, and we can quite endorse Mr D. McGregor's remarks that he always found him straightforward and impartial. This being so we very much regret his retirement from the Board, as we are sorry to say there are not very many of the townspeople who take an interest in public matters except to traverse other people's actions. The cause of his resigning was the action of other members of the Board iu dealing with tenders for King. Street. The custom of the Board has been to accept the lowest tender for any work they have had to do. In this case there wa3 a difference of £1 odd between the tenders of Costello and Dillon, Costello being the lowest tenderer. Without any apparent reason Mr Stewart proposed that Mr Dillon's tender be accepted, which 'Was seconded by Mr Knowles and carried. In all contracts under the Board there is, or should be, a time fixed for the completion of the works, and in default a penalty to be exacted. With these safeguards and an efficient overseer the Board is amply protected, and therefore the late chairman had every good reason to look further afield for the cause of such partiality in favor of a tenderer other than the lowest. Although the difference between the tenderers was so small, yet it leaves those members who supported the action open to the charge of benefiting their friends with the ratepayers' money, >md we hope it is the last time they will leave themselves open to such a charge. It has been put forward in extenuation that it was sheer thoughtle-snes.i. butthf.tis no excuse, a- unles.s m j n are prepared to think they sh -ul n>t accept -ucn p >.-itious, vir St > rt x ■ •hi .Adl ,- ven • :•,- f ii •-! n> in sigu of ibiliiy, as it is common.y st»i:ed : at am fool fan »pe d • on^y, i i; ~. ..i: i'u.i ,11 • B«U 'I ■ .a.stuil ~ who has done a large amount of work for the Board since it was formed, and having been paid in full for such works shows that he has heretofore given satisfaction. It places him in a false light with other local bodies in regard to tendering for contracts under them, and the excuses put forward by Mr Stewart foL moving against him in the matter only aggravata the injury done him.