The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, JULY 11.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 180, 11 July 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, FRIDAY, JULY 11.

The peculiar fatalism which seems to attend every effort or attempt at a peaceful solution of the CommonShelton difficulty is certainly most remarkable. No matter what tactics are adopted, what course shaped, some “ rock ahead ” is sure to crop up and render the attepipt either wholly or partially nugatory. To those of our readers who wish or care to trace the cause from the effect we would point to the report of the last two meetings of the Harbor Board, a careful perusal of which will no doubt materially assist them in arriving at a conclusion consistent with the facts of the case. In reasoning this matter out perhaps it would be well to bear in mind that whatever may have been the dispute, and whatever mav be the result of the present difficulty, nothing whatever in the way of blame or condemnation can be fairly urged against the firm, as the whole affair with them is purely and simply a business transaction. They have from first to last, throughout the whole of this tedious and prolonged dispute acted upon strict business principles, and with every show of right upon their side endeavored to make the best bargain they possibly could. If they have proved themselves better and shrewder business men than those who constitute the Harbor Board, the credit is decidedly theirs, together with the gain. It is undoubtedly the right of every trader to use any lawful and honorable means to get the “best of the bargain,” and we see no reason why Messrs. Common and Co. should be exempt from the common privilege. On the other hand, it is equally the right and duty of the Board to act in the same manner in behalf of the public, and to make the most favorable terms possible. The whole responsibility rests entirely with the public body and the onus of the late, extraordinary valuations must be placed solely to their account for not obtaining and employing competent and conscientious servants. The matter of exorbitant fees, and the manner of demanding them, pales into insignificance when we look at the preposterously high valuation which has been made. As

no one can for one moment suppose that the employees of the Board were capable of acting in collusion, or conspiring against the public interests, there can be but one cause assigned for the action they have taken, and it is plain that sheer incompetence is alone to blame. That such is the case is palpably shown by the admission of the Boards valuator when he staled that he had to rely upon the experience of others as to what charge it was usual to make for valuating. If such were not the case one would naturally suppose that, providing all things were equal, under the most ordinary circumstances the Board would have had, if anything, the advantage, seeing that they had their own solicitor as umpire. It is argued that, notwithstanding the fact that it is universally admitted upon all hands that the valuation is near douhle what it should be, the Board is bound by the umpires decision. If such is the law, we would venture to ask how matters would have stood had the valuators and umpire, either from elasticity of conscience or incompetence, valued 'the premises at say ten times their value ? Would the Board still be bound by the decision ? We are afraid that the question must be answered in the positive, as the remedy and the blame rests entirely with the body which exercises control over its servants. It cannot be doubted but what the Board has been badly treated in this matter, and the sooner they obtain the services of more able and competent servants the better they will fulfil the responsibilities of their position of trust. It is all nonsense to talk about “fair play” on one side where no “ fairness ” has been shown on the other, and the public have a right to demand that for the future more care should be exercised with a view of protecting their interests, and that proper steps should at once be taken to effectually prevent the possibility of a recurrence of the same sort of scandal. The result will be watched with much interest, and there can be little doubt but what the matter will have a strong bearing and influence upon the ensuing municipal election.