THE TRAM SCANDAL

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 6

THE TRAM SCANDAL

INSPECTOR'S POSITION. ■ POLITICIANS RESENT CRITICISM, i MAYOR GIVES HIMSELF A TESTI- : MONIAL, J Souie fragmentary bill interesting references to tramway mailers were made at a special meeling of the City Council, t which was held yesterday. The sullied was raised when Councillor Shirlelifi'o asked whether Inspector I'uller had been relieved from duly. The Mayor: 1' have no knowledge nf il. Councillor Shirtclillo then staled lie had noticed from a press report I hat ' Inspector Fuller had gone on holiday ' leave. The Mayor: 1 know nothing of it. So far as 1 am concerned I have had nothing lu do with the matter sinco Iho council last met, and,, if Inspector Fuller has been relieved, it has been douo by Ihe Officers of the council in tho electrical department, and nut even in consultation with me. At this stagn Air. Richardson (city tramways engineer), who was present, 1 remarked (hat Inspector Fuller had been on leave for about a week. Jlis holiday had commenced some threo or four days before the council had met on tho previous Tuesday. Inspector Fuller had been notified to report for duly on the morrow. Councillor Trevor: For the. same duty as he was on? Mr. Richardson: I don't know. I await instructions from tho council. Councillor Trevor: I take it that until tho council has fully decided the question that he is'still au inspector? The Mayor: Of courso he is still an inspector. You can't say that ho is. not an inspector until ho has been deprived of'that position. Councillor Trevor: The question is: Is he going on as an inspector, or is he going to be put into some other position? Tho Mayor: It's not my function to decide. ' ' ' ' Councillor Fletcher said that he took it that, ponding a decision upon the matter in Jauuary, Inspector Fuller would continue his present duties. Inspector's Position Unchanged. The Mayor concurred, stating that, until the motion to rescind the resolution that' Inspector Fuller should be transferred had been dealt with, the position wai ai it was before the mater was taken ■ up.' At this stage'the. Mayor remarked that ho had-noticed that .Mr. Richardson had been waited upon by a deputation from the Tramways Union in reference'to an allegation which they stated that Mr. Richardson had made regarding them as a body. "I was pleased to see," oontinued 'Mr. \Vilford, "that Mr. Richardson stated quito clcarly. that he does not charge any of the conductors or motormen' at present in the city's service with dishonesty or malpractice, and I feel quite sure that this council will quite concur with what Mr. Richardson stated, in saying that Wo do not .impute any dishonesty or malpractice to any conductor or any motorman ,-' who is at present. in the employ of the council." . The Mayor then asked the press to take notico of this statement, remarking that.it was made on behalf of councillors and-himself.-Councillor Shirtcliffe, speaking as one of. those who had'felt compelled to take a certain stand, stated that ho was very pleastd also-to notice that Jlr. Richardson had made it clear that he made no charge of dishonesty against the present conductors and motormen. Ho himself wished! to make it clear that tho position which he and others had taken in the matter had. been taken because they considered that, if the step proposed .were adopted in regard to-Inspector Fuller, a very great injustice would .be inflicted on him. It was this only by which they had been actuated. The Confidential Report, Councillor Fitzgerald (one of those who supported resolution to transfer In-spector-Puller)-stated' that it had'not been tho members of the council who confirmed the resolution who had been responsible for bringing a confidential document before the public. Tho Mayor: It was not a member who voted for the transfer? Councillor Fitzgerald: "Certainly not." He then went on to condemn the action .of councillors who'made'public a document which should not have been made public. Tho press and the public, of the city of Wellington had only heard one side of this question and, when they had heard both sides, tho case would present a totally different aspect, Hore the Mayor pointed out that there was no motion 'before tho council. Councillor Fitzgerald remarked lie should surely be allowed to proceed just for one moment. Mr. Richardson's recommendation to the council had been published, but lie had heard Mr. Richardson stato that "it would bo in the interests of Die service (hat this man should be discharged." Mr. Godber pointed out that there was no motion before tho council. Councillor Fletcher remarked that Ihe existing position was not quite fair to some members of the council. Councillor Frost interjected that the paper (Mr. Richardson's report) had been laid on the table. The Mayor: It had to bo made public. Councillor Frost: It is no good laying the blame on councillors when tho document was laid on the table. Councillor Fletcher observed that the reporters had acccs-s to the confidential document laid on the table, but they did not hear the argument for and against when the council was in Committeo for an hour and a half. The Mayor Admires Himself. The Mayor: That is all right, councillor. No need to worry! ''Councillor Fletcher:'l don't earo two straws, your Worship. The Mayor: 1 have been eighteen years in public life. Councillors should' not get annoyed when a paper like Tun Dominion criticises them, for political reasons—as was openly stated in the leading article. Councillor Fletcher: That is the function of Tim Dominion! The Mayor: I sent a note to the editor of. Ihe Dominion, and told'him: "You can't draw me." , It is not worth it. . iJ nc, l'or 1' itzgerald: Tho citizens of Wellington arc entitled to know tho truth. - Tho Mayor snid that onlv one member of the Tramways Committeo had voted against his motion. Councillor Shirtcliffe: It is only fair I? fa .;; vas no ' : a full meeting of ■ Che -i rum ways .Committer. Tho' Mayor said that Councillor Shirtc.jitfo. was cßritled to his own opinion. Everyone who knew liini (Mr. Wilford) knew that he \ras lender-iieArW. T- 0 had done (he right thing. "I have been a target of newspaper criticism for IS veal'.-. lie concluded, "and look at me now. Willi this' the discussion terminated.