MUNICIPAL RE ORGANISATION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2311, 31 August 1881, Page 3

MUNICIPAL RE ORGANISATION.

The majority by which Councillor Hulbert's motion for re-organisation of the official staff was carried on Monday night, seems to us to shadow pretty correctly the opinion of the ratepayers as a body. The mover of the resolution, it must be confessed, had a very dolicate task to discharge, one which no doubt only a strict sense of duty impelled him to carry ont. That he did it in a way deserving commendation will, we think, be admitted. Tho opposition, as personified by Councillor Thomson, made but a weak defence. It was well known that the motion was one which, had it not been for a change of Councillors, would assuredly have been carried into effect some years ago, and had it been so, the ratepayers and the city generally would havo been the better off. The time has new come when a change is enabled to be effected, when tho opportunity arises, not only of securing for tho chief executive officer of the city a competent gentleman, bat also, as we hopo to be able to point out, affording the present Town Clerk a chance of making full use of the vast talent he possesses. We are glad to read the testimony of the opposing Councillors to the urbanity and courtesy of the the Town Clerk, and should like to supplement this by the testimony of any number of citizens who have been brought into contact with this most polished and courteous of officials. Indeed, so far has this been carried into effect in dealing with the subordinate officers of the Council, that no doubt, on the retirement of tho present Town Clerk into the cool shades of privato life, he will receive from them not only a substantial testimonial to his worth, hut also •an address conveying their deep sense of the kindly, genial, and courteous manner in which he has always treated them. His management of the affairs of tho city during a long period of years has also been of such a nature as to raise Christchurch high in tho estimation of other municipalities. The admirable order of tho books of the Council, the deep pervading feeling of satisfaction amongst the whole of the staff, and the general approval of the citizens of his well-meant endeavors to recover at all costs anything which he considered to be due to the city, mark the present Town Clerk out as standing alone amongst his peers. But he is far too good for U 3 here in this small city. His genius has not scope enough in a place like Christchurch. The sphere of action most fitted for tho full display in all their refulgent splendor of the manifold talents of Mr. Haskins is one of the larger cities of Australia, or oven Europe. We shall part from him with much regret —deep and heartfelt regret —but the thought that it will be for his advantage and for that of the city in general should, and no doubt will, dry the falling tear which must wet the cheeks of a large number of citizens on his vacating the office he has hold so long. So far, therefore, from regarding Councillor Hulbert as an enemy, Mr. Haskins should look upon him as his best friend. Had it not been for him, probably he would have lived and died Town Clerk of Christchurch. His wondrous talents for organisation, that rare suavity of domoanour which makes it a pleasure to hold official intercourse with him, would have boon doomed to bloom here, like tho flower in the desert, unseen, unknown, and unappreciated. But in a city like Melbourne, for instance, which, of courso, like all the others in Australasia, only waits the chance to secure Mr. Haskins' services, he would shine forth with that brilliancy which here is denied him. The leader of society, the arbiter of all social etiquette, meeting with princes and noblemen, and receiving them with that indescribable grace so peculiarly his own, how different a sphere to the one ho has occupied here. And no doubt in the day of his power he would not forgot tho friends who stood so nobly by him. The editor of the " Star" would probably be promoted to the editorial chair of the Municipal " Court Circular," devoted to recording the fashionable movements of the Town Clork and that comparatively insignificant personage the Mayor. Others of his supporters no doubt would receive substantial recognition of their services. We have thus endeavored briefly to trace what may be the future career of this illustrious official. It is truo that some of the ungrateful citizens of Christchurch, unmindful of all he has dono for them, seem inclined to use tho words of Othello to Cassio, slightly altered, and say, " Go, Haskins, we lave thee, but never more be officer of ours;" but what of that. We fool that a groat destiny is before Mr. Haskins, and as sincere admirers and well-wishers of his, wo trust that ho will be enabled, by relief from the cares of tho office of Town Clerk of Christchurch, to go forth and fulfil it.