INSPECTOR TIPPINS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1915, Page 3

INSPECTOR TIPPINS.

THE COUNCIL DISCUSSES HIS WORK. PROPOSAL TO DISMISS HIM FAILS. The question whether Mr. Ben Tippins, inspector under the New Plymouth Borough Council, should be dismissed or retained in the council's employ formed the subject of a somewhat lengthy discussion at the meeting of the Borough ] Council last night, Cr. A. H. Johnstone moved that the clause in the report of the works committee recommending that the engagement of Mr. B. Tippins as inspector should be terminated should be deleted. Cr. Johnstone said he moved this because he believed that if the services of the inspector were dipsensed with a grave injustice would be done to the inspector and a grave injustice would be done to the ratepayers of the town. The inspecr tor had been in the employment of the council for the past- six yearsj and during that time he had done excellent work. During 1914 the inspector had collected in fees the sum of £515 6s, while in 1915 he collected £707 19s 6d. Last year the inspector had brought 88 cases of breaches of the by-laws before the court, and 85 of the cases succeeded, which Cr. Johnstone considered was a wonderful record. The inspector had done his very best for the council, and had worked long hours. Cr. Johnstone mentioned the different duties of the inspector, which he considered were too many for one man to deal with. That the inspector was rude and untactful was the only complaint which the council had before it. For such work the inspector had to be a man who could carry out his duties amongst all classes of the community, for he would meet x with many people who would try to prevent him from doing his worK. Inspector Tippins carried out his duties without fear or favor, and there was no substantial reason why he should be discharged. The Town Clerk had reported that the inspector had carried out his duties properly. Cr. W. A. Collis seconded the motion. He endorsed what Cr. Johnstone had said. Cr. L. M. Monteath: I came here tonight hoping that it would not be necessary to say much on this subject, but I did think Cr. Johnstone would have the decency— The Mayor: You must withdraw that remark. Continuing, Cr. Monteath said Cr. Johnstone had evaded the reason why it was proposed to dismiss Inspector Tipping. Was it not a fact that when Inspector Tippins went to see the Mayor recently the Mayor ordered him to leave his room? The Mayor: No. He was rude, but I did not order him to leave the room. Proceeding, Cr. Monteath said that the work of the inspector during the six years lie had been engaged showed that he was not fitted for the. work. He was, as the Town Clerk had stated in his report, without tact. The sooner the inspector waß gone the better. He (Cr. Monteath) was not prepared to support a man who had treated the Mayor and Councillors in the way Inspector'Tippins had. Cr. A. E. Sykes said he was surprised at the statments made by Cr. Johnstone. At this stage the Mayor had to call Councillors to order and ask them not to discuss the matter amongst themselves. Crs. Sykes and Monteath both complained about certain remarks made by Cr. Johnstone, and when Cr. Johnstone rose to explain the Mayor called the Councillors to order. Proceeding, Cr. Sykes said the employers of the council should be loyal to councillors, and should not discuss in the town matters concerning councillors. The statement that lie had "started on the inspector as though he was a dog" was not correct. He was not in the habit of doing this, and the statement was a deliberate falsehood. Cr. Sykes was quite satisfied that a change for the better could be made. Cr, J. Hayden supported the motion. The Mayor said he would support the motion because he thought the matter had been very unfairly dealt with by some member of the council. He did not know who that member was, and he did not want to know. The day after the question was discussed in committee it was "through the town" that the inspector was to be dismissed. This was grossly unfair to Inspector Tippins, and the Mayor hoped councillors would regard everything discussed in committee as private. The Mayor agreed that Inspector Tippins was not fitted for the position, for he had not the special knowledge required for the post of sanitary inspector. It would be necessary to take in hand the question of appointing a properly qualified man for that work. It was quite true that' the inspector was lacking in tact, but he hoped Mr. Tippins would now realise that if he was retained he would have to change his methods. On the other hand, it had to be admitted thati'lnspector Tippins was a very useful man to the council, and he thought his good qualities had the advantage. C'r. J. S. S. Medley thought the time had come when the offices of inspector and sanitary inspector should be separated. Cr. Medley moved an amendment that Inspector Tippins should be informed that if any further charge was proved against him he would be dismissed at once. The amendment was not seconded. Cr. C. H. Burgess knew of nothing which would induce him to dismiss Inspector Tippins. Cr. Johnstone's motion was then carried, the voting being: For, the Mayor and Crs. Hayden, Johnstone, Collis, Hill, Burgess; against, Crs. Monteath, Short, Sykes, and Mannix,