A CASE OF CRAFT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 3, 19 August 1911, Page 2

A CASE OF CRAFT.

IN DUNEDIN CIVIC AFFAIRS In its issue of the 2nd inst., says the Dunedin “Star,” our morning com temporary published the following:— A strange story, which unfortunately, seems to he verifiable, has gained currency concerning the alleged practice in Dunedin of what is described in the United States as “graft.” Some little time ago, incidental to changes in the system of administration, an official of an important local body retired from the position ho had been occupying. The local body desirous of recognising in a tangible form the services he had rendered, decided to vote him, on his retirement, a bonus of an amount equal to six months’ salary. The official was deeply sensible of this mark of the goodwill of the local body, and appreciated highly the sentiment that had prompted the members to treat him so handsomely. Nor did he at the time legat'd as other than jocular the remark of one of the members to him that the vote was worth a new suit to the speaker. This seemed to him to be one of the pleasantries Unit might bo viewed as appropriate to such an occasion. He had no expectation that the member in question really contemplated the acquisition of a suit of clothes at his expense. It came, therefore, as a surprise and rude shock to him shortly afterwards when ho received an account. for £B, being the cost of a suit that had been supplied to this member. He concluded that the only course open to him was to settle with the tailor and look as pleasant as lie could—-though he may perhaps have considered that the suit was a more costly one than he was himself in the habit of purchasing—and to say nothing about it. Eventually, however, the circumstances have leaked out, and the members of the local body which the official served have in the last, clay or two oeen expressing their feelings veiy strongly about the sordid transaction. To their regret, they have no juri fiction in the matter, as the person who is alleged to have improved the opportunity that was presented lo him in the manner wo have described is no longer associated with them on this particular body Fie is, however, conin.it h! with the administration of other local institutions, and, moreover, possesses ambitions that have net. yet been fully realised.

On Saturday afternoon Cr Keast fonvarded tlxc following letter to chairman of the Hospital Board (Mr J. H. Walker):— 1 Dunedin, August 5 Dear sir,—l beg to tender xon my resignation as a co-operative member of the Sanatorium Committee. My reason for resigning is that I admit that, as a member of the Board, in May,' 1910, I did an act, in doing which I had no intention of doing wrong 1 but which on reflection I feel bound to admit was improper, 1 ! make the best reparation I can namely, 1 express my deep regret lor what I did, and I am resigning every oflico which I hold in Dunedin.—Yours truly, C. E. Kic vsT. Inquiries made this morning elicited the fact that steps were being taken in the matter by the Hospital Board and the City Council before the resignation was received. The chairman of the former body said that if the resignation had not come in they as a board intended facing the position. As a matter of fact, he was getting information from the cx-oflicial of the hoard as to the facts and who was the member of the hoard referred to. That, he considered was necessary in justice to the whole of the members of the board. The resignation had now come in, and that, he supposed, was as far as they could go. The Mayor said that, as Chief Magistrate of the City, he considered it his duty to clear things up as far as-the council were concerned, so he ■sent lor the councillor in question on Saturday, and after consultation with him, advised him to resign. There was a strong feeling among councillors that the matter would have to be brought up at next Wednesday night’s neeting of the council, but the resignation now saved that unpleasant duty being undertaken. The resignation will now come before the council on Wednesday evening, when the Mayor will move that it be received.

Cr Green forwarded, the following notice of motion to the Town Clerk an Saturday: “That a special comnitteo, consisting of the Mayor, Crs Stewart, Fiddis, Clark, Wilson, and the mover, lie appointed to make injuirics and to report to the council •e tiro case, designated graft, an al.eg'ed Dunedin case.”