THE MAYORALTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3301, 21 August 1911, Page 2

THE MAYORALTY.

WHY MR. W. D. LYSNAR ( RESIGNED. J FOUR REASONS GIVEN. EFFECT OF HIS ILL-HEALTH. Explaining his resignation to tne Council the Mayor (Mr W. D. Lysnar) ■vyill say. that he decided to resign for ; four reasons. These are as under : ■ Eirstly, because his medical adviser, > Dr. C. F. Scott, has ordered him to uo. so in consequence of his health not having made satisfactory progress since till©, operation lie recently had to undergo, in connection with the loss of his eye. | Secondly, because the policy approved of by the ratepayers when the ,£175,1X10 loan was authorised is not being adhered to by the Council. Thirdly, that he is opposed to the manner in which the work is being carried out with the approval of the majority of the Council, as lie feels the ratepayers are not getting full value for the money that was being spent. Fourthly, that he is a strong believer in the principle that important positions should be held by persons of robust health, which he- feels that he does not at the present time possess. “In justification of my remarks as ao the unsatisfactory manner in which the works are being carried out/ 5 continues Mr Lysnar, “I would direct attention to the results of the tenders for the sewerage. Had the whole work been let by contract there is no doubt that the whole sewerage could have been carried out within the estimates of the consulting engineer, and I consider that every day’s work carried out by day labor increases that amount which will, have to be provided to complete the work. Also the estimates provided for 20 miles of electrical street mains in connection with the electrical lighting scheme as approved by the ratepayers, whereas the Council, at the suggestion of the Engineer, "has ordered 52 miles. Further, the previous Council had, on the advice, commenced a scheme of improvement on the Childer’s road Reserve, •which would, on the Engineer’s estimate, have cost about £3OOO to complete, whereas there was only £IOOO provided for this ivork in the loan proposals. This, I am pleased to say, the present Council has stopped, and" d a contract covering the main portion for £724, Avliieh, with a further. expen 3iture of something oA r er £3OO on fenung, will give the borough, in niy opinion, a more complete and better Avork than the Engineer’s proposal, and avill be aA'ailable AA'itliin a few months instead of several vears.

“Again, although no reliable information as to the probable cost of the Engineer's method of carrying out the kerbing and channelling lias so far h« on obtainable, although asked for, it is quite evident from the information that Avas giA r en to the Investigation Committee when inspecting the works that the cost of the manufacture of the blocks, without any alloAvance for laying doAA'n the A\-ork, Ai'ill not be u s a +.* an about £7 4s lOd per chain. Avhereas the Avhole completed Avork. including laying of both kerbing and channelling, is being carried out in Hastings for £3 10s per chain. Many other such illustrations could be given, but the above AviU suffice to justify my opinion on this head. Excuses or explanations may he offered for these changes, but I maintain that no material alteration or deviation should be made in the loan proposals as approved by the ratepayers Avithout their consent. *.

“As my efforts were mainly responsible for the formulation and carrying of the loan proposals, I haA r e felt it my duty to the ratepayers to use every endeavor on their behalf to see that the original intentions Avere carried out and the moneys judiciously and economically, expended, but I can iioav see that the only way in AA'hich I can do this is to fight each matter point by point, which my state of health Avill not permit of my doing. I fully acknowledge that a good deal has been done, with the aid of the present Council,'to assure better results in the expenditure of the loan money, and I still feel that a lot more should be done to still further improve matters. I wish to express my thanks to the deputy-Mayor, Mr W. Pettie, for so often of late attending to my duties in my enforced absence, and also to those Councillors avlio has assisted me in administering the affairs of the borough and improving matters as far as Ave have been able. I desire to place on record my very high appreciation of the good services you are at all times rendering to the Borough. During the four years that I have held the office of Mayor I Have never found it other than a pleasure to w r ork Avith you and your staff, wdto ha Am always rendered their best services to the borough.”