The Borough Council

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2068, 16 May 1887, Page 2

The Borough Council

To the Editor of the Standard. Sib,- Your Borough Council should feel proud to tee its actions reported to the world. The members severally must think mneh of their exalted positions as members ol a corporation, some oi whom make attacks on their chsiiman every time he opens his mouth to address them. The aged gentleman who acts as Mayor lor the Borough of Grey* town does not appear to have the happy knack of doing anything to please his councillors as a body, and his blunt, unpolished old celonial style of rushing to a point appears to be unpalatable to the highly polished nineteenth century gentlemen who grace the Council table with their presence. If the Mayor had suddenly made hia appearance in the town, a stranger, unknown to the towns* people, thev might have been taken by surprise at his want ol tact and ability in conducting public meetings in accordance with the advancement of the age, and more partieulaily inpaoewith the rapid progress ol the Borough of Greytown: but as it is. the people of the town generally, the members ol the Council included, must know Mr Udy sen., as well as they know themselves ; they should be quite conversant with all his little foibles, fads and shortcomings, »ud they are responsible for placing him in his present position, as also they were upon a former occasion. Well then, having placed him there after a long acquaintance, it is the daty of every sensible, right-thinking resident to respect the position if not the man, and instead ol ridiculing both the Mayor and hn position, as some ol the councillors appear to do, and thereby bring both the town and the local body into contempt, they should, by more (entlemauly actions and a more conciliatory spirit, point out to him auy errors or omissions of judgment that he may, iu his failing strength and faculties, fall into. Borne ol those sapient saplings ol youths should remember that thny may some day, if they are fortunate enough to survive the exuberances of their youthfal self-importance, attain to the ripe old age of their present chief Magistrate; they may then experience the indignity ol being snarled at in their turn by the rising generation, and will be made to feel that there mart be some mistake in that ola saying. " Old age is honorable,” but that in the “ sere and ye 'ow leaf,” when their children and grand child 'en have arrive 1 at the age ol maturity, they must take a back seat iu all that concerns the place in which they reside, and allow the Pecksniffs of society to rule and govern. I am not advocating the cause of the Mayor of Greytown, neither am I about to dilate upon the wisdom of his actions in bringing forward the motion concerning the clerkship in the form in which he did, because 1 certainly think he fell into grave errors. Sis first grave error was in listening to the yarns of l lose renegade council.ors, who poured the poison into bis ear iu the same manner as did Hamlet ß uncle into that of bis brother, and thvlT'-.j.Ht him to his file. I’he second grave endk was in tackling the jlcrk’s position in toe abrupt and uucerenoniouß manner m which hu did. It has been a debatable question for some time, to my knowledge, that many offices in the tame districts are not upheld lor the benefit of the public hut for the exclusive benefit ol lha officials, and overpaid officials are like unto overfed animals; they become in tuna indifferent to their duties, ard ti «•« ' *' l can be dono cheaper, and as well, the suyox of Qreviowu or any Other public mat ha* everv right to move in that direction wit <o being bullied or intimidated by friends intere.a.l either directly or indirectly. I M net an advocate m low wages or io* «aUnes X think every class of work should be fairly remunerated, bmnotbVffie means which Mr Udy wished lo Lse would I consent to his salary being reduced. KMr Udy consul red retrenchment ni the Boumgl. tipeau.iure was required, be should have moved to g" into committee W consider the best means, it any, to .ual eua,