The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning Saturday, March 2, 1889. SHADOW OR SUBSTANCE ?

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 267, 2 March 1889, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning

Saturday, March 2, 1889. SHADOW OR SUBSTANCE ?

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country's, Thy God's, and truth's.

At its last meeting, the Harbor Board went into Committee to discuss the report and solicitor’s opinion with regard to the Engineer. Why a subject of this kind should be discussed in private is a puzzle to us, the inference being that the discussion was to be of a nature either bearing on Mr Thomson’s character or ability, whereas we know for certainty nothing of the kind was intended or took place. In justice to Mr Thomson, publicity should have been sought rather than rejected, for the course taken indicated that it was out of delicacy to him that privacy was enjoined. Probably it was the result of thoughtlessness, and with that explanation the point may be dismissed. Again we say we can see no reason why the question as to the terms of the engagement should be pursued as it has been done, and with Mr DeLautour’s opinion before them, the members have even less justification for worrying themselves about the matter now; but on altogether different grounds we must support the step taken. There is a more defined object before us than the creation of a difficulty which has no substance and worries only in proportion as it is brooded over; and of that object we wish that no disguise should be made. It .is retrenchment. Eight hundred pounds a year is more than the Board should be paying for its engineering work, assistance included, and present circumstances make it plain that office expenses should not form such a considerable item in the list of payments. Mr Thomson has so far in every way proved himself a competent man, and as to his abilities, no complaint has ever reached our ears, but the plain fact is he is too expensive for his position. Having gone so far in the matter, the members of the Board ought to take up the subject in a straightforward way and make retrenchment the object. At present there is nothing being done further than the combating of a shadow, and if a desire for retrenchment is allowed to have any weight the Engineer should be informed of it at once, for it would be very unfair to keep him in suspense and uncertainty until the term of his notice had nearly expired. Unless there is some secondary object in view, the reason for the step taken is beyond our conception. Many may consider it ungrateful to think of taking the course we have mooted, recognising that Mr Thomson has ably attended to all the initial details and has got the work into full swing, so that everything now goes like clockwork. To an extent we admit that it would seem harsh, but then circumstances have since occurred which cause us to discard all sentiment as far as Mr Thomson is concerned. He himself does not seem to be lost in sentiment, judging by his independence at the last couple of meetings; therefore, why maintain it on the other side ? And then the ratepayers as a rule find things hard enough so far as they are concerned, so that they are not likely to relent in favor of their servants. Eight hundred pounds a year is more than can really be afforded, and now the opportunity offers there is every reason why the pruning knife should be employed. Mr DeLautour has given a very careful opinion on the matter —indeed, we think his carefulness has led him to assume that the point as to the time when notice should be given is in favor of the

Engineer, when the probability is that the Board could give the notice at any time. Still, it might be safer to leave no risk of the point being contested ; but it would be ridiculous if members allowed themselves to be coerced by a threatened lawsuit, when they are sure the law is not so unjust as to bind them to a monstrous arrangement which never existed, except in the opinion of the individual most concerned.