Page 2 Advertisements Column 5

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4037, 6 December 1881, Page 2

Electoral

[advertisement.] TO THE ELECIOKS OP THE OOEOMAN DEL DISTRICT. / <ENTLEMEN,—Now we are on the VJT eve of an Election, it is well for us to take a calm and reasonable surrey of the qualifications of the several candidates' for our patro' age. First on the list, as being a man whose public career has been daily, before us, I will take Mr Brodie, an old resident of the Thames, and I am not wrong in saying that all those resident here any number of years will be fully competent to take his m< asure as I possibly can, when he was the paid agent and general hanger-on of an influential firm in Auckland—and when so acting, were his actions altogether in accordance with those of an honorable man P aud have not those various acts of his tended in no small degree to the rererse of prosperity to many of us. It is not my intention to particularize instances, but I hare no doubt many among us have good reasons for attributing motives—from actions bearing a very shady aspectplausible in themselres, but suicidal in their ultimate effects. Ido not accuse the gentleman of being a spy upon the actions of others for the benefit of his employers, still I am credibly informed that his duties were of a rery suspicious character, and of such a nature that .any man retaining a spark of honour in him would repudiate with contempt. Ultimately he secures a seat at the Thames County Council for a very small constituency, and is by that body elected their. Chairman, in which capacity his actions are open to free comment. His social position prior to hia deration to, the sublime degree of Chairman is known to all who have resided here any length of time, and will not bear comparison with his present position. An ample salary was granted him by. his willing friends at that Council, which I believe has been several times increased, as the arduous duties he has to perform in that capacity are stated to increase so enormously, of late in particular, regardless of the necessity for economy, that more money ; might be expended ,on the. roads of the" t County. Besides his salary, he' has an ' allowance for travelling on the County business, whether such travelling should be deemed necessary or otherwise.. On , one of his. travelling expeditions it was deemed necessory in the County's behalf to take a touf thro' the Waikuto with the then Native Minister for six or eight weeks, When that gentleman was employed on business relating to his department through that district., < This tour is taken at an expense of one pound one shilling per day, with extras upon the pretence of begging money for his County. What control had' the Native' Minister over the funds, of the Government for County purposes, I was and am still at a loss to' discover. Apparently the journey was a pleasure trip to keep the company of the then Honourable John Sheehan, and may have been of great advantage to that gentleman at the time with his natives, but I confess I am very obtuse oh the point, and fail to see it in that light. Nor can I see how such a journey could or did in the most remote* degree benefit the -Thames Connly, al-f though the Council voted him a-con-siderable amount as remuneration'for his great exertions on their behalf.*, I have often heard there are many who really can be very generous— with public .money. , I am informed the greater portion of the rates collected in the Thames County are swallowed' up in the working 1 expenses appertaining to the office, and I have a strong suspicion this is correct._ Is this a state of things that ought to exist? I hardly think any of the ratepayers approve of the extravagant expenditure, but they evidently don't understand how their money is squandered, and may be averse - to stir, fearing to bring odium upon themselves. Then I would ask you to consider whether he as Chairman has properly exercised his influence in the supervision of the various contracts let by that body p or has he not winked at gross irregularities, particularly displayed in the performance. of some and the flagrant tyranny displayed'by*theT engineer with reference to others, arid * when complaints have been made of sach tyranny, has he in his capacity of Chair* man; caused inquiry to be made aid impf complaints impartially adjusted f I mJ& unhesitating reply, No,. he has hot; 1 Has lie raised his voice in the Council in" any one instance for the benefit of the" poor man, when he has oomplained of injustice dealt out to him by the County's Engineer? I say again, No. He has , rendered no assistance. to get the poor man. fair play, turning a deaf ear to his appeals for redress regardless of the losses sustained by him,. One instance occurs to me at the present moment. The eon-, tractor for the Una road brought approved materials to the road of considerable quantity and at great expense, on, the delivery of the bulk of that portion .already approved, the whole was condemned without specifying any reason. Is a man whose actions are so flagrantly unjust, and who. can exercise and allow: his officers to exercise an extent of revenge for supposed injuries, as was the case in that referred,.to, a, fit. and proper man to associate with others.in. making laws for the country P Bather.let him b« thankful he is raised from.'his former obscurity and poverty to aotuai indepea* dence, and be satisfied to continue tp exercise his petty spite upon.the ptxfc, contractor against whom he may suppose he has a grievance for onoe acting aa independent part for the good of his country. * # Again, a sum of money was paid to tne County by the Government for making the Water Sace Tunnel from the WaioKaraka to the Waiotahi Creek. Let me ask is that work done according to specifications ? Many of you can shew how lamentably deficient that work is in quality of timber, size, and fixing, as well as in many other respects too numerous to set out here; and also how the City of York shaft (a work costing thousands of pounds, and of great value to the gold* field) was destroyed to get timber of inferior quality, both in dimensions and specified class, for this particular tunnel; also, second class materials from the old Shamrock battery, in which Mr Brodie had a personal interest. AD this was done < to that gentleman's full knowledge