THE BOROUGH STAFF.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 52, 26 March 1909, Page 2

THE BOROUGH STAFF.

I he at lion taken by Hie Borough Council in holding a full enquiry into the charge brought by one of "its permanent road stall against the engineer was perfectly justified by the evidence which was* brought forward. The gist of the complaint was that the men engaged on borough works were subjected to a system of espionage at tke hands of the borough engineer, and, the- law of evidence not being strictly adhered to, numerous minor matters were aired t'iiat might well have been loft alone, except that they served to show that there has of late been fostered amongst the employees a feeling 01 discontent. The charge of espionage was disproved, but it was proved, and admitted, that the engineer, who is also borough foreman. had instructed a member of the permanent stall' to ascertain for him whether or not the employees started work at the proper time. Whether the duties were carried out in a business-like manner is a matter of opinion. The municipal laborers were not the only people who noticed that this particular workman spent a good deal of time upon hi* bicycle, and one outcome of the enquiry may lx* that the "bicycle will be given a rest during working hours. It i* useless to shut one's eyes to the fact that the commencement of this feeling of discontent was apparently coincident ' witill the decision of the Council to dispense with the post of working foreman, placing the street works and the workmen under the direct control and supervision of the engineer. Another lact , that should not be ln»t sight of is that there arc two or three ex-foremen of the iwrougih amongst the laborers. In order to carry out Uk heavy duties of inspector of buildings, foreman of streets, and borough engineer, supervising drainage, waterworks construction, and reticulation, street* and footpath*, preparing plans and e>timate«, and all the other duties peculiar to sucli a position, a man needs to V possessed not Only of considerable ability, but of energy and tact. Of thv>e attributes the borough engineer has his share, but ( i>till, the Council has given Mv. Kendall a. "tall order.'' and the. "espionage'' incident vebpcn> tin- question- of the wisdom of combining the position of loremnn and engineer. The strecU just now do not show that- the system has been a marked success, and we fail to see how the best work is to be obtained whilst there i* the present discordant and disruptive element amongst the municipal stall'. The Council having declared its confidence in the. engineer, and so given the lie direct to the storivs circulated and brought under its notice, there seems to be need for some further action on its part.