THE TEREMAKAU SALMON.

Kumara Times, Issue 547, 28 June 1878, Page 2

THE TEREMAKAU SALMON.

[to the bdixob.] Sir—As the expenditure in. connec-> tion with the introduction, of salmon into the Teiemakau rivet touches the pockets of the ratepayers of this borough, permit me now, as the election is over, to treat the matter locally by using your columns in order to re*

fute certain assertions made by the Mayor in the West Coast Times, in his Answer lo my letter re the expenses of 'conveying twenty pounds' worth of •salmon from Greymouth to tnte Teremakau. On March '7th, the ißorough Council authorised the expenditure of £2O in the procuring salmon for the above-named river. Without auy instructions from the Council, thie Mayor I took it upon himself to proceed to Greyraouth, taking with him. Mr Galland, as though no other carpenter 'couM be procured there. Their tramway fitfes, together Vith freight of tish> being charged to and afterwards paid '"by the Council to the Tramway Company, as per item (£4 7s 6d) herein4fter mentioned. On the 11th April, the following accounts were submitted to the Council, attd, after an animated "discussion as to the unauthorised expenditure of so much money, especially the item in connection with Mr Gal land, the accounts were passed tor payment, the Council mot suspecting that there were more to follow. The itetaes then paid, were £ e. d, . Tramway Company ..-. 4 7 C Kilgour, case ... ..-. 018 6 ;Galland, sundry expenses 214 6 Heinz, soldering Case ..-. 6 6 6 Rugg, carriage ... ... 16 0 Telegrams... ... .v.. 10 0 "Carting cases -.-.. ... 0 6 0 £lO 10 6 On May 30th £2O was passed for payment to the Acclimatisation Society. On the 6th June, at a meeting of the Council, two other accounts were presented—one from K. J. Seddoh, the Other from Edward Ancher; the former £5 ss, for two days, and the latter £2 12s 6d, for one day in Greymouth, re "salmon. After inquiry by myself =and other Councillor's we were told by the Town Clerk that money was due to these gentlemen, and that the amount was passed by the Finance Committee, "Consequently those additional items as Bet forth in the finance sheet with Vouchers duly attached and recommended by the Finance Committee, were then passed tor payment) thereby swelling the total expenses in connection with the transport of the salmon tap to £lB Bs, instead of £lO as stated by Mr Seddon in his letter. Now, sir, this job, to accommodate two or more persons was all but complete, when tJouncillor Ancher was told by another Oouncillor, in presence of witnesses that he : (Mr Ancher) was never at Greymouth on that fishy occassion, &nd to. be a man; and not take the oheque£ then and there only did Mr Ancher discover that he was not in Greymouth; that he was only handed lone tin of the fish at the river, there to be let free from bondage ) and conse•quently that those services were not value for the £2 12s 6d. Now* to amend the job, when this discovery was teade, the Town Clerk alters the Voucher, and sets off the cheque passed for payment to 'Councillor Ancher re 'salmon, to be part payment of four other pounds due the same Councillor for attendance At Hokitika, on the sth and 6th June, re Hospital matters; leaving a balance of £1 7s 6d still due to Mr Ancher. Now, sir, the £4 account or any portion thereof was never presented to, or passed for payment by the Council. Therefore what right had the Town Clerk and Treasure?, to alter a voucher already dealt with by the Council, and allow the conversion of a cheque (already drawn for a certain purpose) to that of a different charac ter ? I say .if that the cheque or the money should have come back again, to be dealt with by the Council j and that the unwarranted expenditure in connection witli this fishy transaction is -unprecedented iu any public body and Only adds to the shameful squander ot public money, which is unfortunately •characteristic of this model Borough isince its creation.—l am, kc, D. HANNAff; Kumara, June 27th, 1878.