THE CORPORATION OFFICERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5226, 21 December 1877, Page 3

THE CORPORATION OFFICERS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND‘TIMES. Sir, —I was present at the meeting of the City Council last night, and in common with my fellow-ratepayers feel that I have been most unmistakeably “ sold” with respect to a member of the new Council. Messrs. Fisher, Maginity, Diver, and Moss were elected on the bases of reform and economy, and on the first occasion that they have had an opportunity of putting their “ views” into practice, they have shown the cloven foot, and voted the citizens’ money away as if in very truth it was somebody else’s. The action of the Council last night respecting the city Engineer’s appointment is deserving of severe censure. With the fact staring them in the face that the whole of their staff are under notice to leave on the 31st December, they postpone matters for some two mouths, and make laughingstocks of themselves and the unfortunate applicants who were under the delusion they were dealing with business men. A city that two or three years ago could only pay its Engineer £350 is now paying some £2OOO for similar service; and for this reason, according to Councillor Hunter, it would be a saving to give £IOOO to £I2OO, although the work can be efficiently carried out for £6OO. The large borrowing mania that has spread over the whole of New Zealand has evidently affected the Wellington City Council until they have forgotten the value of money; but in the face of a heavy illegal overdraft the Council had better beware and change their time to that of economy, or some indignant citizen will, through the Supreme Court, try the effect of the doctrine of personal liability for such illegality. And then what will the spendthrifts say ?—I am, &c., An Indignant Ratepayer.