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Dunstan Times, Issue 1086, 23 March 1883, Page 2

On We Inesday next will be held tba ordinary two monthly meeting of the Vincent C unty Council, and on reference to tiie order paper, which is to be found in another column, it will be seen that beyond dealing with correspondence and ordinary reports, the only questions that are likely to create any discussion are embodied in the notices of motion by Cr Colclough and Or Mackellar. As to the former, it will depend entirely upon the humour of the Council as to what they may do. There have already been motion and countermotion on the subject, and it would surprise ns but little for still another countermotion. We do not pretend to know anything about the rights or the wrongs of the dispute, as the whole of the discussions were in committee, but from what the man in the street says, the proper tiling to have been done at first was to act on their Engineer’s suggestion, and submit the question m dispute to the arbitration of adepts in the work of contracting. We are prepared to accord to to the Council, individually and collectively, every credit for possessing knowledge sufficient to carry on the ordinary business of the Council, but we scarcely think they were competent to deal with the extraordinary question of a dispute between the contractors of a £20,000 job and their engineer, A shake in the hat might be all well enough to settle the question of Chairmanship, but we don’t agree with it on all occasions. Tae reference to the Chairmanship brings us to Cr Mackellar’a motion, which proposes that that bone of contention be thrown to the ratepayers for them to seitle it by a plebiscite. For our part we do not believe in such a course being pursued, not only because it would be against the letter and spirit of the 11 Counties Act”—but perhaps such a contingency as exists was never contemplated—but on the score of expense, and when considering the veiy straightened position of the County exchequer, with a heavy overdraft, wages in over- department, and all incidental accounts months in arrear, and necessary works remaining undone, in fact the very County standing still for want of funds ; the proposal we deem one not to be thought of. The only solution of the vexed question is for the conveted position to be held year and year about by tho nominee of the north and aonth parties respectively. Onr suggestion is one that has reason on its aide, and we hope to see it acted upon. Of one thing we are certain it would satisfy the ratepayers and surely those Iwho pay the piper should have, some say in the selection of the tunes.