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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1225, 14 December 1882, Page 2

A seat in the Borough Council (and Harbor Board) is not altogether a bed of roses. Just now these two bodies are involved in weighty discussion on several matters, notably the Water Supply, Common, Shelton, & Co. ’s foreshore property agreement, and the gravelling contract (McDevitt’s) so far as the Borough Engineer is concerned. The incoming Councillors will find plenty of work before them, and the demands made upon their time will be neither small nor unfrequent, nevertheless we are fully convinced that they will not grudge the devotion of rime and energy to the service of the Borough. Touching the McDevitt contract we thoroughly agree with Captain Tucker in his plain assertion that either a wrong has been done, and a conspiracy entered into by the contractor and Engineer to defraud the Council, or it has not been done, and no such conspiracy has been entered into. At the same time we cannot think that wise steps have been taken towards solving the question. We are the more anxious to see the matter cleared up as it has been roundly and publicly asserted that the alleged defalcation in supply of material is in reality untrue, and is merely put forward as the thin end of a wedge which is being introduced with the object of ousting Mr. Drummond from his situation, and installing Mr. Tattley as the Borough Engineer. We have more to say regarding this matter, but our space presently prevents us dilating on it.