ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 217, 9 May 1877, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE

[We arc at all times ready to give expressing to every shade of opinion, but in no case do we hold ourselves responsible for the sentiments of our correspondents.] QUERY. (TO THE EDITOR OE THE PATEA .’TAIL.) Hilt, —Not having any Comities Act, I am at loss to see for myself, but I would be glad to gain the information, whether or not our worthy county councillors have the power to make bye-laws so that there shall he carriers’ licenses: also, to regulate the Weight of carriage on both narrow and broad wheels, as I think at the present time the carriers cut the roads about more than anybody else, and pay least, ban - the natives.—l am, &c. QUERY. Waverloy, 3rd May, 1877. STRAYING CATTLE. (To the Editor of the Patea Mail.) Sir, —Can yon tell mo whose place it is to see that stray cattle and horses are impounded from oil: the main road. Let any of our councillors, or even our worthy chairman, take a ride up to (he Sandhills, and see what damage is being done to (lie sodding of the hanks, which cost such a lot of money (and it was made a good job of (lien), and then judge for themselves if it is not a shame Then let them proceed on to where the culvert crosses the road, and there they may see how the cullle are tearing the side of the road away towards the water.—l am, &c. ENQUIRER. Kakaramon, 4-th May, 1877. QUERY. (TO THE EDITOR Of’ THE TATEA MAIL.) Sir, — I notice that the Harbour Hoard have appointed Mr William Cowcrn, the auctioneer, to sell the lease of the sections under the control of the Board. Now, sir, and ratepayers—would it not have been advisable for the Board to have written to the other auctioneers in the district, asking them to state their terms for selling. Banks are asked by Public Bodies to state the terms they are willing to do business on. Why not do the same with auctioneers ? Their work might be done for 2) per cent., whereas the cost will no doubt be, in the present ease, 5 per cent.—l am, &c. FREETRADER. COUNTY JOBS.

(to the editor of the patea mail.) Sir, —During the last few issues of your paper, letters have appeared with reference to the above subject; and a discussion took place when the Council last met, in consequence of Mr Middlemas having written upon the subject—but one matter was left in an unsettled state, Mr Sherwood, the Chairman of that body, no doubt considering that he had put Mr Middlemas into a corner, and that that gentleman would have to make ample amends for having used the chairman’s name in the manner he had. lam told that he (Mr Sherwood) also stated that, he would get Mr Joyce to make a declaration before a J.P., that he had not influenced him in preparing estimates for works on the main road running through Carlyle. He also declared that ho never gave instructions to the Foreman of Works, except by letter or in the Council Chamber.

Now, sir, I challenge Mr Sherwood to disprove the following, if he can : I distinctly state that the day after the Council determined to repair the road, Mr Sherwood, in the public street, told Mr Joyce, that the Council intended to put twelve inches of gravel upon the road through the town ; and tiiat in nearly every case his instructions to the Foreman were given in the same place, viz., the public street. Mr Joyce, in his last letter, states that he did not tell Mr Middlemas that he was influenced by Mr Sherwood, in preparing his estimates for the different works. Quite true—he did not consider that the estimates he had prepared, had been done to the order of Mr Sherwood ; but will he say that Mr Sherwood did not speak to him about the twelve inches of gravel, on the day I mention. Having stated to the Council that he would get Mr Joyce to make a declaration, it is to be hoped he will, and that it will be satisfactory to all concerned.—l am, &c, . EDWIN E. MORGAN.

MR. SHERWOOD AND HIS INTERFERENCE WITH THE OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL. [TO THE EDITOU OF THE PATEA MAIL.] SlK—ln your report of the proceedings of last meeting in Council, in one place you totally misrepresented what I said, —• how your reporter could so far misunderstand me, I cannot imagine. At the windup of the dispute with Mr Sherwood, I did not withdraw one word I had previously stated. What I did say, was, “ that I never supposed that he had used threats, or anything of that sort, but that he had .quietly influenced Mr Joyce.” I am of the same opinion still, and I think facts that subsequently leaked out, will throw ’a very clear light upon Mr Sherwood’s method of dealing with the officers of the Council, which will render any further formal proof of my previous statement wholly unnecessary. I may say in passing, however, that I can prove conclusively. from the proceedings of the Council alone, that it was entrapped into the present extensive improvements through the township, which it clearly resolved not to do, until the spring. If the weather should remain fine it will, practically, be a gain, instead of a loss ; but

that is not the question at all. I will pass on to what follows. At the previous meeting of Council, an account from Mr Harris, for copying rolls, came before us for payment, which was considered too high. Mr Bridge proposed that Mr Harris should be paid at the rate of 4d per folio. This resolution was put and carried unanimously. At last meeting tiie payments made during the previous month were read over by the Clerk. When he came to the amount paid to Mr Harris, he was stopped by Air Bridge, and asked to explain, as it was at the rate of 6d per folio. Mr Sherwood got up and said ho would have to explain “that he had made inquiries, and lie found that 6d per folio was little enough, he had accordingly ordered Mr Black, the Treasurer, to pay Mr Harris at that rate !” Afterwards, the deposits made by contractors as a guarantee of good faith, came on for consideration. Mr Sherwood again explained that lie had banked the money (not backed as your reporter has it) to a trust account. Now, what I want to know is, Does our Treasurer, or Mr Sherwood, do the banking business? The Chairman of the Council has no move right to interfere with the duties of the Treasurer, than he has to interfere with die Sultan of Turkey. This all-officious gentleman not only orders our Clerk and Treasurer about, but lie. oiders him to disobey a clear, distinct, and unanimous resolution of the Council. Both the Treasurer and the late Foreman of Works have suffered humiliation. For instance, when the payment to Mr liana’s came on for eonsidei ation, Mr Kenah got up and said that he blamed Mr Black far more than Mr Sherwood. Mr Black, of course, stood mute and defenceless. His proper course was, certainly, to have stood on his ground and to have reported Mr Sherwood to the Council : ho Would, then, have been protected. But very few men have tiie moral courage to stand up for their rights, when placed in such trying circumstances. Has our Chairman been in tine regular habit of doing the banking ? I suspect he has. Time will show. Where would he not liy to if his wings were not elk ped ? I shall, certainly endeavor, next meeting, to Clip one iho troevoury svinj- iu the most dangerous one —before I can return home satisfied. Onr Chairman's first act of authority—at least as far as I know —was to discharge the hospital Orderly, because ho refused to make himself generally useful. He had the power to suspend, but not to discharge him. This matter should yet be inquired into. His next act was to put Mi Joyce to the thistles ; but be reserved the banking" business to himself. Our Chairman, can be County Council, Foreman of Works, Treasurer, and all in his single person. At least all the higher functions lie can perform, —the lower lie does not care so much about. And yet Mr Sherwood is in many respects an excellent Chairman. He can conduct the business of meetings remarkably well ; indeed, for that sort of thing, he has no equal that I know of within the County. But he lias one weakness that spoils him for a public man, he cannot bo trusted with power, he is sure to abuse it. How ho so greatly misconstrued his position, I cannot tell. But he has violated principles, which lie at the bottom of all good government, and which are the essential safeguards against abuse, and corruption, of every sort. His vanity, I fear, is the cause of all the mischief. He is no sooner in a good position, than he begins to see visions, and dream dreams of future greatness never to be realised.— I am, &c., T. MTDDLBMAS. liawera, May 7, 1877. P.S.—Since writing the above, I have learned that Mr Joyce, while in Patca last Saturday, has stated to at least half a dozen leading people of the town, that what I said at the Council anent Mr Sherwood’s interference was “ quite true, and that he had told him to put a certain number of inches of gravel on the road through the town.” Mr Joyce also expressed his willingness to come before the Council and state the same thing. Mr Sherwood is properly caught and the eyes of the Council must at length be opened. T. M.

Note.— From summarized report of County Council proceedings, it was made to appear that Mr Middlemas, after hearing the chairman’s explanation, had expressed himself satisfied that Mr Sherwood had not unduly influenced Mi Joyce. From the above letter it will be seen that Mr Middlemas did not do so. He expressed himself satisfied, after what fell from the Chairman, that that gentleman had not written letters which had appeared in the paper under Mr Joyce’s signature. It had no reference to the Chairman’s denial of interference. —Ed. Mail.]

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