The Reserve Gardener.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7920, 28 September 1904, Page 5

The Reserve Gardener.

Business in connection with the appointment of a gardener for the Square reserves was reduced to a burlesque at the Borough council rneeetng last night. Fourteen applications were received, several- vof them from well known and capable gardeners in the town. The qualifications of. some were read, others were taken as read, a procedure that discounts the value of credentials pretty considerably. Several Councillors moved in- favour of "certain applicants when ■ the applications had all been read,.but in every, instance-except.one there was no'secondeiv The Mayor sub-' sequently refused to allow- these:mer£ to be put up again, a decision that did not by any means tally with the desires of some Councillors. In the exception referred to the motion was duly put and lost. A furtive visit or two round the table and some " wireless" but "visible telegrams" across the space dividingthe two tables, and the counter move was arranged. It was proposed by Cr Haydon, and was to the effect that fresh applications. should be called for the position. ' " . . ■

The motion was carried and the Council's action was described as childish by Cr Toiley and reducing business to a farce. • •

. Cr Jack was immediately up in arms, and he challenged the correctness of Cr Tolley's description and reference He considered no appointment should be made in the absence of proper conditions, and in the present instance the conditions were only verbal. The Mayor said there was no need to invite fresh applications. They had a long list of applicants, and going through theni again would give "those rejected by the Council at the present sitting an opportunity of again putting in- an application. He objected' to the appointment being shelved, and also to spending more money. ' " ■ • Cr Goodger said he had' been opposed to dealing with the matter since he learnt the conditions were only verbal. He thought proper conditions should be 'drawn up. They had had occasion very recently to regret a hasty appointment, and .he saw no reason. why the same risk should be run again/ The position was worth £100 per year, and the rater payers should receive value for their money. .. '...•■ Cr-Haydon thought *the spirit of the first resolution, passed in connection with the appointment of a gardener had been carried out, and that the Council was at perfect liberty to proceed as now proposed. . ' .':. . - .•

Cr Essex agreed with the last speaker, and he also referred to the evil of making hasty appointments.' -The Council required, he said, a man able to take full charge-of the reserves^ and in. calling for fresh applications, under properly drawn up conditions, the: Council would bedoing the right thing. ■-.. Thesubject droppedI. without further .discussion and, as indicated,- fresh applications will be called. ■.'•.'