The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1908. AIR. JIOKELL’S REPORT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2280, 27 August 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1908. AIR. JIOKELL’S REPORT.

The appearance of a report prepared by Air. S. Jickoll upon the drainage of Gisborne again brings to mind the extraordinary circumstances connected with the engagement of the Palmerston North engineer. Just after his election as Alayor, Air. AY. D. Lysnar, at a meeting of the Council from which two members were absent, succeeded by tlio use of his own deliberate and also his casting vote in carrying a resolution by which Air. Jickoll was asked to report. Before the Councillors left the meeting a notice of motion was tabled to the effect that the resolution referred to be rescinded. AYit.hout waiting for the point to he decided definitely, the Alayor arranged by telegraph for the engagement of Air. Jickell, and although the Council subsequently refused t 0 have anything to do with the engagement and passed a resolution to that effect at its next meeting, His AVorship went on with the negotiations. The peculiar position which has now arisen is that the Council will he asked at its next meeting to receive a report which it never wanted, and to pay £65 for the information contained therein. Coming to the report itself its chief value appears to lie, not in any intrinsic merit, but in the light it incidentally throws upon the worth of .the statements so glibly made from time to time by the gentleman whom the people of Gisborne have selected as chief citizen. During his election campaign,, amongst the most modest of Air. Lysnar’s promises was that, if elected, lie would save the ratepayers £IOO,OOO in drainage expense as compared with tlio Alestaycr schemo. r ,The town could readily he drained and sewered jfor £30,000. Palmerston North was quoted as the bright example of what could be done, and Air. Jickoll was tlio man to do it. Now Air. Jickoll has gone back on his champion .and lias propounded a scheme that is little less expensive than that suggested to the Council by Air. Mestayer. The septic tank proposals of His AA T orship the Alayor are contemptuously ignored, anti a part gravitation and part pumping system is recommended. Mr. Jickell promises a large saving in annual cost as compared with Mr. Mestayer’s scheme, but his claims in this regard would need to bo explained with the utmost care before they arc seriously considered. In tlio meantime our now Alayor will need to hunt up yet another engineer if ho still intends to justify his pre-election pledges in regard to the provision of a proper system of drainage, good roads throughout the Borough, and plenty of lights, without the addition of ,a penny to the rates.