ROBBING A ROADMAN

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 893, 16 May 1903, Page 2

ROBBING A ROADMAN

QUESTION OF COMPENSATION

At the County Council meeting yesterday, a letter was received from Mr Walsh, road maintenance man, mentioning that his hut had been robbed thrice, and asking the Council to recoup him for portion of his last loss. v Cr White: It is a question lot- tho police really. Cr Ciayton : I know ho lost £ r J worth of stores. The Chairman said he did not think tho application could be entertained. If they made allowance such robberies might occur more frequently. Cr Harding said if the facts were as stated he thought it was their duty to allow some compensation. The man was working for the Council in an outlandish place, and they might at least replace stores. He had known 3lr Walsh for many years and knew him to be an honest hard-work-ing man. Cr Clayton said he believed the facts were correct; he thought some compensation should be allowed. Cr Gray : We are not a Charitable AM Board.

The Chairman said that there would be less compunction in robbing a man ii tho Council replaced the things.

Cr Clayton said there was ju st the question of precedent. The Chairman asked the Clerk of tho Council if they had power to grant tho sum 2

The Clerk : You can raise his wafts. Cr Murphy said that they had funds’for beautifying the town and for Cook memorials, and they might have a fund lor this. Cr Harding moved that a sum of £lO be allowed.

Cr Gray : It is being charitable with other people's money. Cr Harding said other amounts were anowed to pass without question, but hero where they had a poor man in their employ robbed—a man with small pay and a large family, working in an out of wayplace difficulties were raised as to compensating him. Cr Ciayton said he did not feel that ho corn'd second the motion; it would be a bad precedent, being charitable with other people s money. He would sooner give a pound towards it himself. The Chairman: I wouid give another. I am afraid that if we allow’ this there

would be no compunction in robbing such men if it was known the Council would replace the loss, whereas there might be compunction in robbing the men themselves.

Cr Clayton said he did not think tho people who did this would have compunction for anyone. The culprits were believed to be passing swaggers.