HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 595, 25 August 1909, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(rrom Our QpeofM Jleporter.l PETONE'B MUNICIPAL OFFICERB. AiPBOULIAB POSITION; The chief topic of ofliivoriintioii in Pctono yesterday wild'tlio |«x!illlnf position arising out of tho firoiwdinp lit tlio Borough Council 'on Mo-i)<ifly;iii(()it, when a motion oxprossihg .'complete mid <inliro confidence in the town clerk, Mf. A, Wolwler, and Uio borough engineer, Mr. W, v H. Cook, was carried on tho double voto of tho Mayor (Mr.'J. W; M'Ewan). .'.'.-

-Speaking to a Dominion representative on the.question, Councillor J.''Piper, tho loader of. thoseotion which votod against tho motibn, said: "At tho conclusion of the second night's mooting to oonsidor tho estimates for thoyoar, wo were told that tho ostiniatcs as passod moantan increase in tho rates. This caused a very general protest. I' objected because I consiuoral it most unfair to tho how momburs of the'council, who'had not last. year's estimates or to gujdo tlicni, nni].'that in my opinion we ' shbiild . h'.nvo been, told that the , estimates required'sin inorcafie in the rate's. The'gen-' era! onininnwas tlint'thc time was : inopportune, for increasing 'thb rates, arid it wasdei cidixl to, hold a third, meeting, with a view of, bringiaig the' cstimntes, witliin. the 'scope of Mast year's rating. ; Outside : tlie : chamber.coii'icillprs naturally discussed the situation, ai.d. amoiigst.'other.moans of .rctr'e'nchment v o 'considered tho offioo staff, and six inembe!.-s cahio to the conclusion, -frorii personal observation, that .the town dork's office -was/overstaffed, . Wo';suggosted:-a-rear-rangement by which between £100 and £175 per annum'could' bo saved. The. fact ~that two officers held; clerkships .of 'other bodies indicated 'that',they were not 'overworked.';,"., '■"We agreed- upon that,"-Councillor.''Piper proceeded..'"and as a preliminary, measure .we,moved that the clerk, leave.:the room. This was,defeated, as one of the six sliowetl by'his vote (hat he had' altered his views since ,we came;to the agreement. ; Therefore we proceeded no'further v The fact that that motion was defeated was published, as was my,'statement that .six raembers had.- come, to the 'decision; referred'... to. .The- Mayor .sfatod';that' : this-'was, the'-'Veasdii ; ' why■>: he brought qn t]ie motion. -I am': satisfied'that' thefe' .was' no, animosity .And. no,;fetiing- bel- - of the' council 1 , and, the; Officers..- ' .-■;., , '■; :

' "At a later vstagC'.l .-brought f6rward' a motion to hold an inquiry into the management; ' of;; the.) '.sanitary ~'; depot,;. ; cqneerni,' irig. : w)iicli{i complaints:';were';rife;.,vi-I.', werit-jtb; the depot.and. -saw,: a stator'"6f 'tilings. Iscertairily,' thought might'-lie irnproyed;:-' Upon oxahi,iiiati6n-"o'f.-las't.- year's estiriiates. a'nd : pal-.aiice-sh'cetj- I arrived,' at "the ;conb|uSi6n ; that tliero had. beenj.ns- tho -.Mayor.said- on \Mori'-' day- night,' a: little ■'■';undue'-'■■ 'parsimony,,-arid that-the: employees, had not:•the -necessary number of appliances' to. properly iattend to the/'work. . Kath .side; blanied the.ni'ci): blamejl - the- engineer,-■' and- he,.complained that .he was '-not iriFbi-rilcd "of. the cph.ditioii- lif. affttirs.' ■.Thii't Being 'so,. I saw' no other 'course'.ontm,' ftftei; consulting with' members of-tlie : cr)uiicilr'aiid''.oth'ers', than to call, for_'''ari.'-\n'quiryi..which .was. as' muclviin 'tlie.'erigirieer's'-inferests'as .th'e"ra'te' J i pay'ors'J; ; and.' I.'-t'olil; hirri-.about itV'; I•■ ccr-tainl.V"was-not- actuatfcd-willr;ii'"desire.'fo gef hjrii .into, 'trouble'.';'.:■ ;•':'•."■.'.'^'v'•'/'. •'•' ;:y ,'■':■ : '- i 'V.™;

■~;;'l"consider,the;.M ayor's-actioh ill-advised' frbm.'\every''-':p'oirit' : fif' ; view..; It opened .the door; -to,' acoiif.ations .of {Ml;soijts.-aud.. stirictl. rip ,if of.-, l'cserj't'ment : ;for, -things,-::tlia't hn : ve : 'occurred; ' No--iria'n "Caii t-cil fr-lut' 1 . might' happen-'.' If the council wished .to tikej in: the future,' any-.action ,to repriiriand an : ojfl-, cer-.or. to hold an ' inquiry, it; wOuld , bp blocked by this motion.,-Further, it.put.tho c'oiintillors in an absolutely l false position they had either.-todpthe: men an unwilling injury or-to be false to their.u«;u consciences in voting for the,motion." . ;,., - •-, : _~ Do .1 undcrstf.rid that tliero was.nothing against ' the engineer or.clerk; on of,- administration? -.- .... . -.-:''■■.';" -~ / •,.'-.

'Councillor ..Piper:,,"We had .-.no with-tho men. Things might have,been done, a little..;differently ;t.still;.; it'.;was ,nbt that. In regard to Mr. Webster (tho clork) there nevbr has been a'suspicion'of anybody's questioning his ability. We simply said we thought we oould do without him. 'An employer of labour might have'a'first-class mechanic, but in dull- times' he' would be discharged '• without any, reflection on .his' ability. .What' I had complained about was the interpretation of .the attitude taken up by, bur section of : - the council:- We did not in any way question the ability of' Mr.' Web- 1 6ter or .Mr. Cook to, do. their .work. ,■ .The Mayor said we had' 'something at: the back of our heads.' I certainly deny that.' It was; purely a matter of the:,e?pendituro of the.ratepayers' money.' , : > ' ' "On i these grounds," concluded the councillor, "I. consider that the Mayor's motion was unnecessary and .impolitic, and T am convinced that; the' adverse vote, was given more against "the'motion than .the men."

■HUTTv'VAiLET; HOMING PIGEQ^ 1 CLUB.. '■"The first • old--birds! race •of the. season -by ■the above club-was. held under somewhat* unfavourable, conditions, .on' Saturday last.'.'th'e 'flight'- being'-' from Masterton. -'Some'of ..last year's best-known performers-'-coppeted.- Owing to.a misunderstandingas to'the exact time.qf liberation, of the...birds,, the .actual velocity Was riot; obtainable. Mf. George' Mabey,- : of Taita, supplied; the Vinner in Wanganui,.second place being obtained by. Mr:?."Montie" : -Ward's Sky Pilot, ,anct- third place by Mr.-.<L. Ball's nbniiriation,; The. next race will be held on Saturday;' September ,4i' from Eketahuiia. - : .'