The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1884. THE COUNY ENGINEER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1812, 13 October 1884, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1884. THE COUNY ENGINEER.

We understand that Mr King lias given, in accordance with the terms of his engagement, three months notice to determine his connection with the Wairarapa East County. This notice is one of the most serious blows that this much abused county has yet sustained. It will be very difficult to replace Mr King in the County office. We are not surprised at his taking such a step, He has been sacrificing his health and strength for years past in the conscientious discharge of arduous and varied duties and though he has retained the confidence and support of those whose good opinion was best worth having, he has been misrepresented and maligned in other quarters and has had to submit to unworthy attacks which in a measure have arisen out of party feuds. It is within our knowledge that for the last two years Mr Kino has been anxious to sever his connection with the County. Other careers have been open to him in which his high professional attainments could have ample scope aud it is well known that if he merely practiced his profession privately in this district he would secure with less labor a larger income than that which he has enjoyed under the County. Mr King will leave behind him in the Wairarapa many a long mile of road agd many scores of bridges which will be a lasting record of the term he has served as County Engineer. It would havß been better for himself personally if this term had been a shorter one and better for the district if it were a longer one, We do not believe that there is a more skilful bridge builder in the colony than Mr Kikg and we feel some pride in the fact that a self-taught Mastsrton builder has admittedly placed himself by bis ability and perseverance in the foremost rank j of New Zealand engineers. ■ '

We hear that Mr King has declined to appoint a person to measure the Mungapakeha bridge with Mr Reese. This refusal is, in our opinion, a very proper one. If Mr Reese has a case l against kirn by all means let him have' every facility for establishing it, but to' ask Mr Kino to take part in getting it up is an absurdity, We do not desire to anticipate the outcome of the inquiry which the Council in its wisdom has sanctioned against itself, because we feel sure that the engineer, in the course he took with this particular bridge, had the authority and consent of the Works Committee. If so, the Council occupies the peculiar position of being both judge and defendant, No wonder Mr King is disgusted and j throws up his appointment,