Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE : FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1852.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1209, 24 November 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE : FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1852.

In plain and unequivocal language we stated in effect in last night’s issue that the contract known by the number 61a on the GisborneWairoa Road had not been carried out in accordance with the terms of the specification under which it was taken : that the work was passed by the County Engineer as having been faithfully executed ; and on the Engineer’s certificate to that effect was paid for by the County Council, when as a matter of absolute fact the contract was incomplete in several important particulars. These facts which are now becoming, in spite of the efforts of certain parties to stifle them, somewhat notorious, were brought under the notice of the County Council by Mr Morrice, a runholder in that part of the country. Mr Morrice, at much inconvenience to himself, has by his, action in this matter directed public attention to abuses that exist and have too long existed in the carrying out of public works in this district. And notwithstanding the sneer contained in the concluding sentence of Cr. Johnson’s communication to the County Council, practically an apology for the County Engineer’s laches, Mr Morrice may rest assured that he receives, as he fully merited, for his manly and determined action, the thanks and approbation of every settler in the district who desires to see swept away the rotten system that has too long prevailed here in the letting, passing and paying of contracts. It is true that by the casting vote of the Chairman, Cr. Chambers, Cr. Johnson’s apology for the County Engineer’s delinquency in passing the contractjas ne did, became formally the report of the Committee, and as such was adopted by the Council. We can plainly discern that there is even yet too much of the old leaven in the Council to hope for some time to come for a healthy state of County affairs. But as a little leaven leaveneth the whole, so do we feel confident had not the introduction of a few new members into the Council taken place at the last election, Mr Morrice’s complaint would have passed unheeded by, the ratepayers would have remained hopelessly unable to extricate themselves from the meshes of its representatives, while the few—the chosen few—secure in their stronghold would have remained masters of the situation. Nothing could shew more clearly the determination of the late Chairman, Cr, Johnson, and his successor Cr. Chambers, to shield the Countv Engineer, even at all hazards, than the aiscussion that took place on Wednesday last in the County Council Chambers, as to whether the report on the contract under reference, drawn up by Cr. Gannon, or what will be hereafter Known in the annals of the Cook County Council as “ Johnson’s Defence of His Friend,” should be adopted by the Council. Cr. Johnson’s amendment was put in the usual way, the result of the voting being a tie. For Cr. Johnson’s amendment: Crs. Johnson, Milner, and WiWTON. Against; Crs. Gannon, Clark, and All an ao h. The Chairman (Cr. Chambers) gave his casting vote for the amendment, and declared it carried. Flushed, no doubt, with this temporary triumph, or new perhaps to office, the Chairman positively refused to allow Cr. Gannon’s motion to be put I The report drawn up by Cr. Johnson and adopted on the casting vote of the Chait * man, contains statements that are absolutely the reverse of truth, Cr. Johnson in his report says, “As to the batter we (meaning the Committee) find it only six inches to the foot nowj” instead of eight, What is the actual fact? In some instances, according to the County Engineer’s own measurement, the test showed the work scarcely above/aw inches to the foot— that is that simply in such cases only one-half of the amount of side cutting that should have been actually done, was done. In Mr Reynolds’s measurement the batter showed in some instances greater defect. It will be observed throughout Cr. Johnson’s report that a milk-and-water tone pervades. Mr Johnson says, “As to the natter we (the Committee) find it only six inches to the foot now,” endeavoring to imply that on some prior occasion the Committee had discovered the batter to be something more. Going on to that part of the specifications were it was distinctly laid down that “all fern and scrub along the line of road shall be cleared for a width of ten feet on the upper side and six feet on the lower side of formation.” We ask in the name of justice and fair play to Mr Morrice and to the settlers of the district, and to the Government who granted the money, was or was not that part of the specifications carried out ? We answer the question. We say emphatically that it WAS NOT. No, not even Cr. Johnson himself, determined as he was to be blind to everything that might in any way sully the spotless lustre of the County Engineer’s professional reputation! had the temerity—no, not even he had the temerity—to contend that that part of the contract had been carried out. But how does Mr Johnson wriggle out of that portion of the complaint ? With a certain degree of woaHafawce, and an invisible wave of the hand, he says, “ Your Committee (meaning himself) noticed that the clearing of the scrub and fern has not been carried out quite according to contract (the italics are ours), but it (the fern and scrub, not the contract we presume ; shades of Lindley Murray !) being very light, chiefly of fern and light ti-tree, has mo material effect, or likely to cause any damage.” Of a verity this is damning with faint praise. If Mr Johnson is right, the engineer whose duty it was to have the specifications drawn up, specified that work should be done, which, according to the gospel of Samuel Woodbine Johnson would have no '‘material effect,” and was therefore unnecessary. Was any reduction made in the contract price when it was determined that it was unnecessary and of “no material effect to the road to clear over three miles of fern and scrub ten feet on the upper side and six feet on the lower side of the formation, or was that work paid for precisely the same as if it had been truly and faithfully performed ? The fem and the scrub was not cleared over the portion of the road inspected by the Committee. Ocular demonstration proved this fact, and all parties were satisfied that the portion not examined was the same, but it was paid for as if it had been done. The concluding portion of Cr. Johnson’s report carries with it a sneer and a tone of lofty contempt for the ratepayers. “Your Committee,” says Cr Johnson, “considers the thanks of the Council are due at all times to ratepayers who may take the trouble to

draw our (the Committee’s ?) attention to defects in works at any time, even should they be mistaken,” Doubtless the ratepayers will be highly gratified when this important intelligence is generally made known. But will any man in his senses believe that Mr Johnson expressed in the final sentence of his report his own honest opinion ? Will anyone believe thatCr Johnson, in his heart thanks, as a member of Council, Mr Morrice for raking up this matter, a matter that one or two of the Councillors tried so strenuously to keep dark. We say unhesitatingly we are thorough sceptics on that point. We are disappointed in Mr James Woodbine-John-son. That gentleman, one of our old and most thoroughly respected—and justly so—settlers in Poverty Bay, has been long identified with the public affairs of the district. He has bestowed a large amount of time to the interests of the public, and is fairly and honorably entitled to the public esteem in which he has so long been held. As Chairman for so many years of the County Council, having large powers centred in him. we regret extremely that his private friendship should be imported into public matters. On calm reflection Mr Johnson will perceive how extremely injurious such a system would become if once permitted to grow up in our local governing bodies—how disastrous would be the results should we find County Councils degenerating into “Tammany Rings.” Of such a contingency there need be little fear so long as there are eyes to watch and minds to control the words and deeds of these governing bodies.