The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1922. THE BREAKDOWN ENQUIRY

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 759, 8 September 1922, Page 4

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1922. THE BREAKDOWN ENQUIRY

“We upthing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”

The Council enquiry into the recent breakdown at the power house has been concluded), (and the engineer and staff exonerated from all blame. We have no fault' to find with the enquiry. save that had the Council secured an absolutely “outside” expert who knew, neither the engineer or whose firm had never transacted business with the Council* we should have felt th/at no stone had been left unturned -to disarm critics. Two matters, however, arise oufj of the enquiry which should be .dealt with. The first is the trucelent style of the Mayor, who not only resents criticism but condemns all who do not agree with him. For a public man to take this attitude is surprising* and proclaims him as quite unsuited to thq position. To make such repeated use of tihe puerile phrase “dirty dogs,” when referring to critics is nauseating, and far from what one would expect from a man who, in private! life, poses ( as somewhat of an ethical deader. A public man who is unable to control his temper,, should be the las't to prate about lofty ideals to others, However, ratepayers are curtlytold in the enquiry by the Mayor that the enquiry was (for tihe satisfaction of the Council. The ratepayers were neither concerned or considered so far as the enquiry mattered. But the feeling created- as a result of the enquiry has now to be faced by Ihe Council. Ratepayers are particularly anxious for a pronouncement prom their representatives on two points, viz., What are the! qualifications of the man in charge ‘of the electrical generating plant of this Borough; and what amount in commission on purchases has he drawn during the past year. As representatives or -trustees for the ratepayers who placed them in their positions, the Councillors cannot- refuse to publish answers to both questions. The gravest dissatisfaction exists in the Borough ovdr the lighting question, and) the (feeling is abroad that the resentful attitude of the Mfcyor and his disrespectful manner- in referring to critics is such that he should immediately resign and make way for a man strong enough td both keep his temper and insist on efficiency in the public services.