Paeroa Breezes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43067, 12 March 1907, Page 3

Paeroa Breezes.

& ' . TREATMENT OF COUNTY j COUNCUr OFFICIALS. j SCENES AT A COUNCIL MEETING. Paeroa never failsto hold Waihi up as being an incubator for quarrels, and yet ' Waihi, even in its wildest moments of ' exuberance, could not excel, much less equal, the Ohinemuri County Council in its conduct of business at the monthly meeting on Thursday. Furthermore, the Waihi local bodies have always bee a on good terms with their servants, provided • their services merited favourable con-i sideration. The Ohinemuri County ] Council, however, adopts a different at» * titude. and 1 it is now difficult to know what it really does want in the form of f an Engineer. It used to be the com-?

plaint that the engineers were office men and they wanted a man for outside work. Eventually they got such an official in Mr Bray, and'for a time, it was con* tended by some, that the roads and foot* v , throughout the country were in a mqph Better condition than they had beeiipreviohsly. v _ - . ; Then the disturbing element arrived, indwe notice that at the monthly meet* ing a pretty clean sweep was made. , " THE ENGHfEEB, Krst of nil the Engineer came up for consideration, his letter of resignation "being read. Mr .Marrinan, Karangahake’s representative, spoke up and pertinently asked if that was part of the programme, and and who the chairman was going to appoint; to which Mr Nicholls replied that applications would be invited. \ Mr Poland moved and Mr Grace seconded, that Mr Bray be asked to recensider the matter. Mr Marrinan said it seemed to be the usual way with the Council to hang a man first and try him afterwards. He knew the whole history of this case, having heard the facts. When Council lors came there pledged to carry out certain things, right or wrong, they wete not entitled to the name of Councillor., Eventually the resignation was accepted by a majority of one, and then Mr "Poland moved that Mr Bray be voted three months’ salary. 1 Mr Hetherington: You would not be so generous with your own money. 'V: Mr Poland: I would not treat any J»-man as you treat some of your officials, v Mr George Crosby, who is now taking Ji prominent part in local matters, and who was strongly opposed to the services of Mr Bray’s predecessor being dispensed with, opposed the motion, and con* tended that Mr Black was not treated so - magnanimously. ■JjjLr,lt'waa then discovered that tin Councould not give Mr Bray three months’ «, salary, and it was decided to give him an extra month’s salary for special services Mr Cochrane moved that applications be invited for the position of engineer at a salary of £3OO per annum. ;

- MrCrosby seconded themolion, which was carried. Mr Marrinan: lam against it. Why - don’t you tell us who you are going to appoint ? Mr Nichqlls : You’had better sit down- ' You havehad all, the say. Mr'Marrinan: I have'a right to speak. Mr Nicholls : Yon have no right to block the business r The matter then closed, and the Council passed on to the next business. ABATTOIHS MANAGER,

* A breezy discussion took place over the , manageri'of the abattoirs (Mr Beattie) who had been asked t.> resign, but in a most.dignified and courteous manner had refus' d on grounds that by so doing he would b** admitting that he had comnutted some offence. Mr Poland strongly championed Mr Beat'ie’s cause, and shnWed th.,t during his term of management-seven years—.he had proved a careful and most zealous officer. If he had committed robbery or some other orime they could not have treated him worse And why was Beattie dismissed F Because he allowed the slaughtermen to put up in the abattoirs, a f dipping, from a newspaper! It was only fair to Beattie that the matter should be . discussed again. ' , ~ Mr Mairinan : It’s no use for any man to expect justice hard. Mr Poland : This would have been all done/before if it had not been for Willie * Corbett. He was a man. Mr Corbett: Don’t you talk about my brother. Mr Poland ; I say he was a man. Mr Corbett: That’s more than you' are. . Mr Hetherington: That was a * cowardly thing to bring up about his brother. Mr Poland : “I say you are a cur to talk to me like that.” Mr.Marrinan: What’s the use of fooling the public? The matter has been arranged. A motion that the previous resolution and the matter reconsidered wpiloßt. * number of butebers then asked the •Council to assist them in getting Beattie removed from his position as inspector of meat, hut as Mr Beattie was an officer of the Stock Department it was stated that the Council could do nothing in the matter. 1 1 . ' • TBS COUNTS’ BANGEB. y; Another officer who came up for dis- / cussion was the County Banger, a petition being receiued from 37 Paeroa residents asking that Mr J. White be re» moved from office. Certain allegations as to a system of persecution being followed by the ranger were m ade. •*? -A long discussion i ensued, and though . .several councillors thought that the ranker shou’d display more tact and discretion, it was admitted that the streets were well kept from wandering cattle. A motion that the petition be received was carried,—“ Waihi Telegraph:” »