WAIROA ENGINEER

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1485, 20 June 1905, Page 3

WAIROA ENGINEER

repoet op discussion at COUNCIL. Guardian gives the following report of-'a discussion at the recent meofinfjltof the Wairoa County Council Or Davey asked that the Engineer be instructed to Jay off the Tubara deviation, working at both ond3 and leaving the swamp part till it was seen where the main drain would go. Or Davey was proceeding to eniargo on the question, when the Engineer, with considerable warmth, said ho desired to be relieved of such a duty, as the Council evidently had -no confidence in him, Let the sow man dcr the work,

Argumailts word being advanced by Cr Brown for going on with the work, when Cc Parker remarked that evidonlfey Mr Mackay would not do tho work. Cc Mullins did not consider it a P r °P or time to carry out such a survoy. The swamp was flooded, and it would bo unwiso to ask Mr Mackay to do it. Cr jDavoy : That meant it tho dram could not bo dcno until December, and if the road had to bo laid out after that, tho job would be hung up till uoxti yoar. The Chairman : The fact was they had parted with thoir ongineer at tho very worst time, and tho Oounoil was bound to j snffor for it, , . . Cc X) wey thon withdrew his motiOD. Cr Brown askod if ho understood Mr Maalcav to say ho would not do any work for the Council. . . , The engineer said ho had not so stated, as a matter of faca ho l>a.i, up to tho dato of tho meeting, done all that was required of him, but ho stood in a different light to iiGw work. 3ETe was at prosoot a dismissed officer of tho Council, and they must umlorstfind his feelings in tho matter. Ho hod got no notice as to why ho was dismissed, and ho knew of nothing except that ho would not pass tho Waihua deviation, and booansa hs had not passed it ho stood in a disgraced position —a dismissed officer. If ono of t ho councillor’s men had comrnitted a flagrant offonco tho first thing they would do would be to givo him his month’s wages and let him go. - lout no fMr Mackay), had boon treated by a maj r fcy of tho Wairoa County Council muse dishonorably, and in a way that no ther local body in Now Zealand would , have done. Ho would like to leave as soon as possible, whon being dismissed ho shou bavo been given his cheque at once. J-hoy I would let thoir laborer with a month s wages when they dismissed him for an offence; but bo (Mr Mackay) baa boon dismissed without cause. Ho a d d°?o ?n he could since he got notice, hut ho folfi tho stigma oast npon him, and wished to be relieved of duty. Cr Davoy said ho would like to Mr Mackay go out with them to tho Wcibua deviation ; in fact ho had promised to do bo, for all the trouble had occurred because of that contract. Ho felt Mr Mackay «a 3 right, and, no doubt, ho would he better away. He suggested ho bo given his cheque up to tho 15th August (dato of expiration of notice), and allowed to loaye at once. ,■ _ _ * Cr Brown said ho would admit Mr Mackay was right, and ho appreciated the stand ho had takpn. Ho would do the same if in a similar position. The matter than dropped, and tho Conn oil rose.

The Guardian adds :—Just at the clone of the Council came the remarks of the County Eugincor a 3 a hombsholl in the midet of the members. Those opposed to Mr Mackay were practically speechless at the'prospect of having themselves to do the engineering and supervision from now till the end of Anguet, or the middlo of September. Applications only close on the 11th August, aud the new engineer could not possibly get hero within a month, if even then; for, if in a position elsewhere, he would be obliged to giye notice.