CHARGES AND COUNTER CHARGES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2662, 22 May 1894, Page 3

CHARGES AND COUNTER CHARGES.

Mr C. C. McCarthy, erst while schoolmaster at Winchester, who was appointed clerk to the Heathcota Road Board some months ago, has been dismissed from the position under peculiar circumstances. The ratepayers, feeling dissatisfied with the action of the board, called a meeting last Friday evening, and the proceedings were lively. Mr Ross, a member of the board, was one of the speakers. He said he had resigned owing to what was going on. He said on April 25th Mr Wiffen asked him to attend a special meeting to be held at Mr Ollivier’s office the following day. From reports he had heard, he (Mr Ross) first interviewed Mr McCarthy, the clerk, who said he had been suspended by the chairman on account of alleged irregularities in the books. As the Government auditor was then auditing the books, he (Mr McCarthy), was prepared to stand or fall by the auditor’s report. Mr McCarthy made certain grave charges against Mr Wiffen, and said that he had been asked by Mr Wifien to allow Mr Ollivier to withdraw his resignation after it had been in his (the clerk’s) hands as returning officer for several days; that Mr Wiffen had refused to sign a new rate roll as it revealed the fact that ceitain members were in arrear with'their rates ; also, that Mr Wiffen’s object was to get rid of the clerk, as he courted the billet for himself. He (Mr Ross) then went to the meeting which he had been asked to attend by Mr Wiffen. On the motion of Mr Ollivier Mr McCarthy was dismissed with a month’s salary in lieu of notice. He (Mr Ross) dissented, holding that the board should adjourn the matter till the auditor’s report had been received. At that meeting a solicitor’s letter was read, intimating to the board that Mr Ollivier’s seat was vacant. The letter was treated with apparent contempt. At the next meeting, held on May sth, Mr Curry was elected chairman, and it was resolved that a special meeting be held on the following Saturday to elect a new clerk. This meeting was held, and Mr Wiffen said, as he was personally interested in the appointment, he would take no part in the proceedings. Mr Wiffen said he could legally apply for the position of clerk, and that he could resign his seat on the board if appointed. Among the applications was found a letter from Mr McCarthy, which should have been read at a previous meeting, stating that Mr Olliver was illegally retaining his seat on the board ; also a list of charges against Mr Wiffen, and, third, a petition from the ratepayers praying that Mr McCarthy’s case be investigated by the new board. Mr Wilding was consulted, and he advised Mr Ollivier to vacate his seat. It was then deemed inadvisable to go on with the appointment of clerk, to comply with the request of the petitioners, and to authorise Mr Curry to take charge of the office in the meantime. The meeting was then adjourned till May 10th, when all the members were present except the member for Opawa. Mr Wiffen had in the meantime withdrawn his application for the clerkship. The charges made by Mr McCarthy against Mr Wiffen were then gone into, and afterwards the appointment of clerk was proceeded with, and the applications were reduced to four. Mr Wiffen proposed Mr Pavitt, and Mr Curry seconded the motion, while Messrs McHaffie, Palmer, and Ross supported the appointment of Mr Smith, there thus being three to two. In spite of this, however, Mr Wiffen supported the chairman in maintaining that under these circumstances he (the chairman) would exercise a casting vote. After a long and fruitless discussion he (Mr Ross) left the meeting, and what transpired afterwards had become a historical fact, Messrs Wiffen and Curry having appointed a man as clerk who had not applied for the position. (Loud laughter and applause.) This looks serious for the chairman, M** Wiffen. He dismissed the clerk, according to this, so that he might get the billet himself, and Mr Olliver, who assisted in the dismissal, had resigned and was member. Another charge was that Mr Wiffen had to refund £3 2s 6d of the money of the board which he was short of while acting as treasurer, but he tried to fix the blame of that on Mr McCarthy, by showing it was due to his errors. Eventually resolutions were carried endorsing Mr Ross’s action in resigning and asking him to allow himself to be renominated ; also calling upon the Government to institute a public inquiry into the action of the board. Some members of the board who attempted to speak were received with howls of indignation and got a very bad hearing. Mr McCarthy appears to be illused in the matter. The Government auditor has found nothing wrong with his books.