THE GLOBAL. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1881. THE TOWN CLERK STONEWALL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2317, 7 September 1881, Page 2

THE GLOBAL. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1881. THE TOWN CLERK STONEWALL.

The citizens generally have no doubt boon somewhat astonished to find that in the matter of re-organising the staff of the City Council, which has been agreed upon by a majority, a little stonewalling has taken place. "Who have been either the active or passive agents in the matter wo do not intend now to discuss. Ko doubt, however, they are ardent partisans of that “ grand old man” who has recently boon covertly and in secret assisting a similar movement in another place. All wo have to do with is the fact that a resolution was passed by the Council, directing a certain course to be taken with regard to its officers, which, as respects the principal one, and the very one which it is asserted it will be for the benefit of the city tr-

remove, has not been carried into effect, Now, we have been at some pains to discover if any valid reason exists in the ■shape of document, contract or other instrument why the Town Clerk should not have received notice as well as the rest of the officers. The result of that search has proved most conclusively that no such document exists, and it was ■clearly and emphatically the duty of the Mayor to have given that notice after consulting the legal advisers of the Council as to what, in the absence of any agreement, was a fair and equitable period to terminate the engagement of the Town Cierk. The Council, under clause 102, have power from time to time to remove any of their officers; but, of course, no one would wish this power to ha exercised arbitrarily. While this is so we contend, on the other hand, that the Council must be the master and not the servant of the Town Clerk, and if ho objects to receive what is, in common sense and equity, a fair and reasonable amount of notice, they would be justified in terminating his engagement absolutely at such period as they may decide, oven were it one week. Now lot us just put before our readers the statement of the case as it appears on the minutes. The organ, which, alas for Mr. Haskins, has ■thought fit to champion his cause, in its usual roundabout way insinuates last night that it is very possible that the Corporation has entered into a bond which will not allow of their exercising the power given under section 102 of the Act. Now, for the information of this journal and the citizens, we may most emphatically state, once and for all, that no such document exists: nay, more, there is not one scrap of writing except the minute appointing Mr. Haskins and the special order defining the duties of the Town Clerk Or assistant. So that the journal in question, in endeavouring to excite sympathy for a hardly-used official, is only drawing a red herring across the •scent, and endeavouring, with its usual candour, to throw dust in the eyes of the citizens. On December 2nd, 1875, applications for the office of Town Clerk ■having been duly invited and received, the minute reads thus:—“The Council considered the selected applications for Town Clerk. It was resolved that Mr. Haskins bo Town Clerk. It was resolved that Mr. Haskins be City Treasurer. It was resolved that security be given by the Town Clerk, in accordance with clause 116 of the Municipal Corporations Act, to the amount of £1000.” Now, before going further with the history of this matter, let us pause to describe the bond upon which our contemporary desires to lay such stress. With an astuteness which is worthy of notice, no mention is made of the precise nature of this bond, though, of course —the source of inspiration probably being the best that could he obtained —the contents were well known. Preferring rather —despite the example set us by our contemporary —to state the truth boldly and unflinchingly, we will tell the citizens in a few words what this bond really is. It has been suspended by the journalistic henchman of Mr. Haskins, like the sword of Damocles, over the heads of the Mayor, City Council, and burgesses, hut like most of the statements made by the same authority, is full of sound and fury signifying nothing. The bond is simply a mortgage to the Council by Mr. Haskins of certain property as a guarantee of fidelity. In other words, instead of taking out a guarantee policy the Town Clerk executed a mortgage. So much for this part of the matter. The second point which has been laid such stress upon by the sympathisers of Mr. Haskins, who may well exclaim “ Save me from my friends,” is connected with a special order made by the Council. All sorts of wild statements have been made; amongst others, that on the occasion of the notices being given to the other officers, the Town Clerk performed a pas d' extase, or war dance of triumph, around the chamber, exulting in this special order as the bulwark of his liberty to retain office so long as he pleased. No one who knows the Town Clerk would for a moment believe this. But there are injudicious friends who have been industriously circulating the report that this special order is a great thing. Let us once more —leaving the pleasures of imagination and dramatic illusion to our contemporary the “ Star ” —state plain facts, which that journal will find particularly hard nuts to crack. On the 3rd January, 1876, we find the following minute: — “ A letter was read from Dr. Foster, with the duties of the Town Glerh and special order connected therewith. The •instrument of the duties was signed by the chairman of committees, and the Town Clerk was directed to take the requisite steps in connection with carrying through the special order.” Here let ns pause once more to call special attention to what the Council were going to carry with such solemnity. It was not an agreement between the Council and the Town Clerk which would tie the hands of the former from acting under section 102, aud discharging tho officer whenever they pleased. Not a bit of it. All it contained was a proviso that the Town Clerk, or in his absence tho assistant Town Clerk, should attend every day except Sundays, holidays and fasts, at certain hours therein mentioned, and on the 10th January, 1876, this was made a special order. Now this is all that pertains to the matter. There is not a scrap of writing under the seal of the Council appointing Mr. Haskins, not even a letter signed by tho Mayor, stating that he had been selected. All there can he put forward is tho minute which formally records that tho Council agreed that he he Town Clerk and City Treasurer. Such is a plain statement of facts rendered necessary by the way in which tho case has been put by the “ Star” in Mr. Haskins’ interest. That journal has not, it is true, deliberately stated what is untrue, but it bas done worse; it has conveniently passed things over, and made misstatements which cannot but have the effect, if believed, of misleading tho public. The course of the Council this evening is clear. It has ■been decided to dispense with the present officers. Tho Town Clerk has no bond or instrument entitling him to any more favour ! than the rest, and he should be served at once with a notice at a month. We regret that through tho misleading statements made by our contemporary, ■the “ Star,” any feeling should have been raised in this matter, and, while sympathising with the Town Clerk on this account, we cannot help condoling with Cr. Thomson, who now finds himself fighting shoulder to shoulder with a journal which has consistently denounced Ms public acts and himself as a public man. Truly sympathy, like poverty, •m ni-nq one acquainted with strange bedfellows.