The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1878.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 34, 8 February 1878, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1878.

To enable the electors of Nelson to decide for themselves upon the merits of the circumstances that have led to the resignation of > r Gray, it is necessary to recapitulate a scene that occurred in the Council Chamber at an ordinary sitting of the Council on Thursday evening last, aud this we purpose to do briefly, truthfully, aud dispassionately. Upon the occasion referred to, when the accounts were read over for approval, they

included a bill sent in by Hollyman and Uiapman for £11 8s for work and labor done in resetting the old retorts at the Gas Works, and ere the accounts, according to custom, were passed by vote, Cr Gray rose, and, in a very excited manner, objected to the item specified, because, he asserted, the work had not been authorised by, or undertaken with the knowledge of, the Council, and it was a job that should have been done by tender. The irate Councillor added, "If the City Surveyor has liberty to do what work he chooses without calling for tenders I shall resign." Cr Everett explained that such work as repairing retorts could not be done by tender, as, until the structure was taken to pieces, it was impossible to prepare specifications. This statement was. by Cr Gray, received with a contemptuous laugh aud the following significant remark : "I was asked this morning in the street what bonus I received for allowing favorites to do these fancy jobs?" " What did you say ?" laughingly asked a Councillor. "I could say," rejoined Cr Gray, " that I got nothing, but'did not know whether the City Surveyor received a subsidy from favorites." This serious insinuation against the honesty of a public servant elicited a general murmur of disapproval, aud His Worship the Mayor then said that he considered when such a direct attack was made upon one of the servants of the Council it was but fair that the accused should be present, he would therefore direct the Town Clerk to call in Mr Lightfoot. Upon Mr Gully rising to carry out this instruction, Cr Gray rushed for his hat, aud beat a verj ignominious and hurried retreat from the Chamber. If the charge had ended where it began, in an absurd and childish ebbulition of temper, the affair might have been passed ovar as unworthy of further notice, but as Cr Gray has since by a letter in contemporaneous columns endeavored to substantiate the charge, aud as moreover we understand that in resigning this gentleman is merely apeing Ministers of the Crown in appealing to their constituents, we deem it our duty to say that in our opinion the innuendo contained in his speech of Thursday night was uncalled for, and out of place, while the accusation it intended to convey was totally unfounded. In proof of this we cite the following evidence, merely premising that the charge is that certain work was carried out without Cr ! Gray's consent, and unknown to the Council. In refutation of the accusation Cr Hooper said, " The subject had been discussed by the Gas aud Water Committee- if which Cr Gray was Chairman— and the Surveyor had authority to carry out the work. 1 ' Cr Hounsell said, "He distinctly remembered the subject being discussed in Committee, when the Surveyor explained in a satisfactory manuer that the proposed work could not be done by tender." Cr Webb said, "For months past it had been understood that the work was to be performed under the supervision of the City Surveyor so soon as he (Mr Lightfoot) considered it necessary." Last, but not least, in a report furnished "by the City Surveyor, read in Council on Dec. 7th, 1877, and ordered to lie on the table, the following passage occurs:— "The whole of the material for re-erecting the two old retort benches ha 3 arrived from Greymouth, and the work will be commenced next week." How in the face of these substantial facts Cr Gray can state that the work was done without the authority and knowledge of the Council it is' difficult for any reasonable being to comprehend. He has done so, however, and intends by seeking re-election to ask the electors to endorse his unaccountable conduct. We trust for the fair fame and reputation of our local ruling body that the ratepayers will suitably respond to the appeal by allowing Cr Gray to retire to those quiet duties of private life that hia estimable but peculiar talents so pre-eminently fit him for.