BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 194, 6 August 1908, Page 4

BOROUGH AFFAIRS.

To tins Editor. Sir,—l understand that Ike' Borough Council is going to reconsider the engineer's and foreman's relations. 1 have been waiting for someone else to draw attention to the way things are -being worked iu this matter, but as no one else seems inclined to put up a light for justice 1 am going to have my say. The Council engaged Mr. Sam Hooker as foreman a few years ago, putting its former foreman under him for reasons which were public enough just at the time. The new foreman was told, practically, that he was sure of his billet ?o long as he worked properly and behaved himself. Since Mr. Gibbon went away he has had charge of the streets, and the late Mayor, 1 think, once publicly congratulated him on his excellent woik. At any rate, we all know Mr. Hooker has been a good man for the Council. When he was put in charge of the streets the Council decided it could do without an engineer, and appointed a sanitary engineer. His screw has kept on going up, and now he's the borough engineer, in full charge of everything, and he wants the foreman shifted. He says there are three men on the stall' who are practically foremen, and ne wants two of them kept on in the town. But the man who lias made the streets lit to be Killed streets is to be calmly shunted out to the reservoir, and the engineer tells us that this will not in any way reduce the amount of work .done. I am glad to .notice that the Mayor has given notice to have the resolution rescinded. If the Council icreally anxious to reorganise its staff, why not start with the borough inspector!—l am, etc., EPHRAIM.