Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1881. A DISGRACEFUL JOB.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 75, 20 May 1881, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1881. A DISGRACEFUL JOB.

-*- — The »Foxtou Local Board has occasionally done strange things, but on Tuesday night they perpetrated one of the most disgraceful jobs that ever came under our notice. Owing to the loose manner in which the specifications were worded in the first instance the Board recently called for fresh tenders for a very necessary work, the removal of a sandhill on the Avenue road. When the first set of tenders were opened, the following were the prices: — W. H Eeeve, £109; J. C. Nathan, £120; G. Symons, £121 ; J. Handerson, £148 ; Williams & Co., £190 ; Brennen and Walsh, £250. At the meeting on Tuesday night the following tenders were received : — (j. Symons, £90 ; J. Handerson, £93 17s 6d ; W. Eeeve, £96 10s. It will hardly be believed that the Board had the audacity to give the contract to the highest tenderer, thus paying away £6 10s of the ratepayers' money more than was necessary. There was no reason for this course. Either Symons or Handerson are, for aught we know, as good and reliable workmen as Reeve. The secret is, it was a job. Reeve's father is a member of the Board, and both own carts and horses. He, sitting there as a representative of the ratepayers, proposed that his son should receive the contract, notwithstanding that his tender was higher than that of two other men. Mr Coley, who seconded the proposal, must also be blamed. He also is a carter doing business in the town, and does a considerable portion of the carting for the Local Board, though the accounts are always sent in in the name of W. H. Reeve, who receives the money and, we presume, pays it over to Coley. The public can now see the thing in its right light, why it was proposed by Mr Reeve, and why it was seconded by Mr Coley. Of the other members of the Hoard the only one who voted for the job was Mr Jonson. Mr Purcell was in the chair, and did his best to prevent it. Mr Easton, the Chairman of the Hoard, was present, having come late, but though he sat during the discussion, had not the moral courage to take his place as Chairman, or vote against the job. Mr Jonson, also, was at first disposed to act justly towards the ratepayers, and accept the lowest tender, but the cajoliugs and coaxings of the Opposition were too strong, and he succumbed. It appears to us that the fact of the Chairman being present, and not in the chair, makes the whole of the proceedings illegal. The Act declares that " The Chairman shall preside at all meetings at which he is present ;" consequently all the acts of the <dard after Mr Easton took his seat were illegal ; and we believe that upon this ground an effort will be made to upset the affair, the members who voted for the acceptance of the tender being held personally responsible for the whole amount of the contract. The time has gone past for the working of " dodges "of this kind. We can only characterise this affair as a disgrace to the town, and most discreditable to the Hoard. If members of the Board are going to try and secure family "pickings" in this! manner, then the sooner they resign and give place to other men the better^

• This Libel Casb. — We give a vary ex tended report of the Palmerston libel case, find vent me to any a perusal of the report will prove botn interesting and instructive. The complainant was under examination xeveral hocn, biß oroßs-examination by Mr Staite being particularly nevere. Mr Staite'H defends of Mr Dungan was a very able one, and elicited warm expressions of admiration, his Worship specially complimentin(r him on it. Messrs J. Lraton and A.. Fergussoa at onoe offered to go as bonds men for Mr Dangan, and several other prominent settlers showed their sympathy for Mr Dangah in a similar manner. , Moctoa School Committee.— The Commitree met on Wednesday last. Preseut — Messrs Edwards (Chairman), Carter, Ronsall, and Saundera. The niinuea <>f last meeting were read and crmfiiir.e 1. Mr. T F. Gibson was elected a member of the (Committee, in place of Mr G. N. Wood. I A circular letter was read from the Edu- ! cation Board, stating that the oapitition fee would- not in future be paid on children under five ye<*rs of age attending the school. The Chairman rep«rte<l that only one child under five yearn of age wan in attendance on the school. Accounts amounting i39s 3d were passed for payment This beiug all the business, the meeting adjourned. CpßßEonoir, -In the letter, on $h«leasing of Crown Linda published in la»t iseM two typographical errors occurred.

The sentence relating to area of selections should have read— "pastoral selections Jbeiojg of nqj; greater area than 3000 acres, and 'agricultural not more than 250 acres," instead of 750 acres, as printed. Then, again, fnrther down, a sentence should have read, " Five hundred thousand acres of land valfted at £3 per acre would return a revenue annually of £75,000. while at the end of seven years it would probably be worth £6 per acre, and would, of course, return a proportionately larger amount to the revenue." In last issue 43 was inserted instead of £6, and of course altered the meaning entirely. Personal. —We hear on erool authority the H »v. Walter J>hmon. M. H..R. intends shortly visiting this district. Whether he will take advantage of the trip to address his constituents we have not heard. Another Richmond in the Field. — It is rumored that Mr Henry Sanson has determined to contest Manawatu against all comers. We do not, however, place any reliance upon the report. The West Coast Railway.— Yesterday Messrs Kuorpp, J. T. Stewart, and Armstrong started from Foxton to inspect the railway lines from Jiorowhenua to Foxton and Palmerston. They were accompanied by Mr James Wallace, one of the provisional directors of the West Coast Railway Company, who proceeded only as far as Horowhenua. We understand it was intended by the party to proceed along the Foxton line to the point of divergence behind Horowhenua Like, thence along the Palmeraton line till that town was reoched. They expect to reach Palmerston tomorrow evening. The 2u1.1t. — "It is better to be bon> lucky than rich." So says the proveru, and no doubt Mr J. H nderson, carter, of Foxton, thinks so. Recently, a good filly was raffled by Mr Jas. Liddell, and Mr Handerson won it Last night the wellknown sailing boat Zulu was raffled, and Mr Handerson's luck again secured him the prize. No doubt he considers a few strokes of luck of this kind even better than contracts for the Local Board. Rifle Shooting.— Our local riflemen are still keeping up their practice. On Wednesday a scratch match was tired. The prize competed for consisted of a promised full-sizsd bust photograph of the winner, in a frame, of the total value of £3 3i. generously presented by Mr Kirkwood. Mr Liddell proved the victor, Mr Birchley being second. On Dit. — That Mr Charles Johnston, brother of " our member." intenda to stum! fot the Wellington Country District atnex' election ; stlao that Mr Brandon, the pr--scut member for thut conftitunnoy, does not intend to seek re-election, but fully <■ x pectd to guide his bark into he s^rim waters of the Legislative Council. BoßoroH. — The Feildintf Borough -tili hangßfire. Messrs Macrthur an<l Chamber lain returned from Wellington o •. Tuesday, whither they had be^n to ursre their vi^w* regarding the Borough on iho Government The White Pine Trade — We under stand that so tar the effort? of the reoem deputation of sawmillers to Wellington h «* not resulted in any promise of rednctio" ot railway freiyhtK on white pine intended f-.ir shipment We hear Mr Oliver favors t> reduction, but .Mr Mix well id opposed to it. Held Ovrr. -Tb^ rep >rt of the laar mei'tinsr of the Otalri rfighwaya Board is to hand, but is h<ld over. The Census. — The population of the colony in 'he electoral distrints in 486,8111. At lnt census Jt wis 411,172 showing an increase 'luKn; th> r.'ir«e vmm ->f 75,(58!).