COUNTY ENGINEER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4679, 26 March 1924, Page 4

COUNTY ENGINEER.

EULOGISED BY NETHERTON. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. At the monthly meeting if ratepayers on Saturday evening, the president of the association stated that he had received a message from Messrs Matthews and V.-Young to propose on tli'-ir behalf a vote of confidence in tiie engineer, and to do everything possible to induce him to remain. Mr Vowles said that lie hoped the engineer would remain, for it was felt in Netherton that he had been a credit to the county. He was sorry to hear that the council had not defended the engineer when lie was being attacked. .

Mr C. H. Potter moved a vote of confidence in tire engineer. Cr. Hare said that he was very pleased to hear the expressions of confidence by the ratepayers, as he had been one of the councillors who ha l supported the engineer. He asked him to reconsider his decision. Mr J. Reid said that the riding had always found Mr Higgins a conscientious man who had pushed the work ahead. He would be hard tp replace. The ratepayers of Netherton hoped that he would reconsider the matter and remain for many years. (Applause.) Mr S. Laughlin said that the position had been bristling with difficulties, and Mr Higgins l had made good. Mr E. Jamieson said that he would be' very' sorry to see any break in the council or its .staff at the present time, as it was obvious that it had the interests of the ratepayers at heart. The present was a time of crisis, and any break would have far-reaching effects. He was sure that if the enengineer left the council’s employ he would not be a loser, as men of his qualifications and experience were in great demand. The motion was then put and carried unanimously.

Mr Higgins thanked the meeting for its kind remarks, and assured those present that whatever he did he would always remember what hal happened in Netherton that, evening.