THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 10167, 10 December 1906, Page 2

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,——Jin answer to correspondent signing ibis name a» '"Wonking Man,' I am ■comipelled to ask you, to-be kind enough to insert this letter* as a. -refutation] to'-.' "Working Man's"' accuser tio-n. It is one ilhing" to lay an aue.usation, it ig .anlotheir Wiring! to prw.e tliio aioouisiiitiian. Sir, if I were to attempt to lay an aaciusaitio'n against a Councillor," I O'Ugihit, to hiave sufficient foundation to. :baak up my aocuisar tioii:,. «nd further 1, to> be abtte to prove i it. I -deny 'blue charges laid against me, ond as a man of hloiior do pledg'o my woa'd that nto smchi action by me" was ever taikicin to do> an injustice to my follow workman, on" anything detrimiental as aglainsft the principles of my ioonduiot in the Council as' their repnesenitative- Of course I know that a puiblici man is liaille to ajll sorts of insultsl, but, at. the same tiniei, I cannot«illow false acousiatiions.to belaid at my feet, without, attempting to re* fuitle siuohi aiccusnitioiiis. 'In tli:e first plaice "Working Mian"(?) says that when the workers of the Council maided for a snuaill cicnisideratiou While doing" wet work their representative (Cr. Grahiaim;) was loudest „ against them 'getting' it. . Now, sir, the r fact of tihie. dasei is this : Wihlen the 'matter was foecflor'e tblet Council I stated the men were entitled to 1 receive more pay working in wet pl'aicies- In the sedonid place, I am accused of bieing amongst tine enemy im order 1 to' oust Mr Gibb from diisi because hie is a niiddteaged man. Let me clear myself on this point. It was considered by the 'Council, in the first plaictey that the position, of Tumtaook did ntot require skilled labour. A fortnight afterwardsi tihie. report of the foreman of works came in recom,niendiing'Mir Gibb to' higher wage as it wais skilled kkw. The Council in | a fortnight changed their minds, and i accepted tlhiei -.reciornimiendation, and agreed-to pay Mr Gib'b 8s 4d day for skilled laibour. I then raised my voice and wanted the Council to make it Bsi '6d per day. Tibia does not look like being' amongst thei enemy to- oust Mir Gibb from hisi employment. Councillor P'clulgraiin thien jaausedl m-'notictei of motion tJuat appliciati'ons be called for the position at tihie rate of ,10s per day- Mi" Gibta would have liaidi thle eamle opportunity wany ioiie eik'etw IJiufc in his application,, for there w'a* nothing, mentioned in thle notice of motion of any man being middle'- ■ aiged. "Working Man says'thiait "we find the man we put in tihie Connncil to protect 'such, working men, fighting tooth' and nail against him." I again dteny siu'ehi aacuS'ation, and I iss>ue a^ j chiallensia to any ratepayer and Councillor to prove thl'iit I even saiid' one" weird a.gain'Bb Mr Gibb in his capacity m T'urnciook ; in fa,et, I did all in hi a faivof.-. Thianking you in anticiipa-tion-—H am, etc., .' .-GBO'BGE GRAHAM. " Thames, Dec, 1906-