The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3656, 17 October 1912, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1912.

What Will Be The Next Step?

As a municipal reformer Cr Collins has yet to secure the support of a majority of his colleagues on the Borough. Council. He seems, indeed, to he particularly unhappy (judging by the results) in his choice of arguments and proposals with which to turn them to his way of thinking. Fired by the belief (in respect of which he is of course not singular) that the Borough should have much more to show for all the expenditure that has been going on, he suggested somo weeks ago, it will bo recalled, that Mr Metcalfe should be asked to return to Cisborne and report on the organisation and supervision of the staff of the Corporation. As is equally well known, a majority of the “City Fathers” declined to agree to the proposal—and Cr Collins resigned in order, as he declared, to test the feeling of the ratepayers on the question of the Engineer. That the Council might object to bringing Mr Metcalfe down again from Auckland can readily be understood, espec-

£]\y in tlie light of what we showed in an article a day or two ago. would, however, have been quite open to say the Mayor to point out that if Cr Collins was really determined . uparh an investigation he would arrange for the Works Committee in the first instance to undertake the task. But the opportunity to meet the position there and then was missed, and matters have continued to take a , course which as vet shows no sign of j coming to an end. Lpon the second occasion that he brought up the matter at the Council table, Cr Collins had, as is well known-, no greater success. Having been returned without any personal effort by a substantial majority, and having had his views endorsed by a large public meeting, he appeared in the Council Chamber m the van of a delegation of ratepayers who had been deputed to attend on | behalf of those who formed the public gathering. The plan of campaign was now altered—nothing less than the dismissal of the Borough Engineer would do—and here again it was such that Cr Collins was bound to fail, -t was, of course, not reasonable to expect the “City I’ a the is to dismiss Mr Paterson without any specific charges having been made and an opportunity being given him to reply. Xo one could say, however, that Mr Pet tie did more than postpone rnatieis bj simply having a motion of confidence ill the Borough Engineer carried, lh come now to the meeting on Tuesday evening, when the whole subject vus once more revived at the instance oi Cr Collins, who now suggested •'that ! a competent outside engineer be irnme- ! diately appointed to thoroughly invesj tigate* and report to the Council on I the following points: (1) The staff and I organisation of the engineering dej part-ment-; and (2) the entire municipal works now under progress both from !an administrative and constructive j point of view.” As compared with his | original proposal, tho- one now in cjuesj tion differed, it wi’l be observed, in that it did not stipulate for the appointment of any particular engineer, and further it suggested that the scope of the enquiry should include a report on the whole of the Borough undertakings. Knowing that a majority of the “City bathers were opposed to the taking of further expert advice at the present time. Cr Collins was, it will bo agreed, bound not to succeed. Ho most certainiy did bimg under the notice of his colleagues some very important matters which no doub£. have sinca given them much occasion for reflection. In negativing

the proposal the Borough Council

again merely evaded the real position which must sooner or later be faced. Mr Pettie no doubt felt he was right when he averred that their only duty that night was to deal with the motion before them. Might we repeat, however, that t must generally l>e regarded as a great pity that he did not subsequently ex • press his willingness that the Council should at once itse’f fully review its programme of works and the question of “ways and means” r A majority of the present Council would really seem to be under the erroneous impression that the movement for local municipal reform is not widespread. Ihe ratepayers. we should say, are not likely in view of the evasive attitude of the “City Fathers” to drop their agitation for an overhaul as to the position and prospects of the various municipal undertakings and departments. It is reported, then, that what is bound to come before the next meeting of Cr Collins' advisory committee, which it is understood will meet again on .Friday evening, will l>e a proposal for a monster public meeting of protest against the actions of the present administration.