ENGINEER DISMISSED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17181, 26 October 1923, Page 10

ENGINEER DISMISSED.

TROUBLE AT TIMARU POWER-HOUSE. The trouble at the Timaru Borough Council’s power house, of which so much has been heard of late. was again discussed at a meeting of the council this week, and it was finally decided that the engineer, Mr M’Conville, should be dismissed and given a month’s pay in lieu of notice. The discussion at times became very acrimonious and appeals to the Mayor on points of order were frequentThe subject was introduced by a report from the Electric Light Committee recommending that Mr M'Conville’s engagement as engineer should be terminated subject to one month’s notice. The committee had again inquired into the matter. Councillor Hawkey said lie considered the finding of the committee too drastic and not justified on the evidence. He did not think that the blame had been placed on the right shoulders. Councillor Satterth waite contended that the finding of the committee was wholly unjustified. Councillor Manchester said that in the of harmony and disMr M’Conville goThe Mayor said that the inquiry had disclosed a deplorable state of affairs at the power-house. He considered that the best thing to do was to dis. pense with the services of every member of the power-house staff. Councillor Shirtclift gave a resume of the whole case, and went into details of charges against the engineer. Councillor Murphy protested against, the attempts which, he said,, had been made to prove Mr M’Conville’s evidence unreliable, and said that the evidence of witnesses who had been called against him all fitted in so beautifully a* to give the impression that it had been rehearsed. Councilloi Anstey said that the whole trouble had b°en caused through subordinate officers having been encouraged to defy their superiors. An amendment to the adoption of the report. moved by Councillor Satterth waite, that the matter be postponed till next meeting of the council, was lost. Councillor Hnwkev proposed. and Councilloi soc-nded. a further amendment. “ Th*t the clause be deleted from the c-m-ittee’s report and that Mr M’Conville's engagement as engineer at the power-house be continued, as the charges against him had not been established.” This, too, was lost. Councillor Arnold sa ; d that he had taken an active part in the inquiry. If the council had heard the evidenc 0 they could come to no otlmr conclusion than the one arrived at hv the committee. The matter needed no further erplanaTinn, and nobody but an overgrown child muld complain. Co' i cillor Irwin said that nothing had been brought forward to change his conviction that the eomqvttee’s finding was the nnlv iust one that, c-idd have been reached by any impartial tribunal. The resolution for the adoption of the committee’s firebug was then put and carried, the voting being: For— Councillors Irwin. fr" in ness, Arnold. Vino ell, Arst.ey. RV-i-+ C tiff and Manchester Against.—The Mayor, and Councillors Hawkey. M’Nab. Hay. Mumhv and Sattert^waite. Th|p followinor motion was also carried Mr M’Conville he given one month's uar in lieu of notice, as bis services ar<* not, of the power-house, and this wi” him to look for another position it he desires to do so." It was de C Med to o*TI for for the-position of engineer efc the pow'er-honse.