The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Thursday, April 11, 1889.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 285, 11 April 1889, Page 2

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

Thursday, April 11, 1889.

Be jnit and fear not; let a U the ends thou alm'it at be thy country*!. Thy God'i, and truth’s.

I WHO WILL PAY THE LAWYERS 1 At its last meeting a majority of the Harbo r Board affirmed the resolution giving the Engineer notice of dismissal., or rather rejected a motion to rescin d what they had previously done. Mr S lhelton indeed said it would be childi ah for them to do so. It is a comp lete puzzle to us how business men can place the Board in such a positi on, without giving a shadow of reaso n for so doing, and the ratepayers will probably have a very decided opini on on the matter when they come to a clear perception and realisation of the r twkward mess in which the Board may become involved. We do not see muc h childishness in the withdrawal from i a position if it is found that a mistake has been made, and we do not I hesi' tate to say that an action has been take n in this case which is of very serious concern to the ratepayers. I T he Engineer holds a certain view in regt trd to the terms of his appointment• that view may be good or bad—gentle, met i versed in the law are the only ones wht i Can discuss it with authority. But wht jt db the ratepayers tare about

Mr Thomson’s views so long as there is no need to open up the question ?—- that is so long as he carries out his duties satisfactorily. His private opinions are of no more concern to the ratepayers generally—excepting of course a collision is forced on—than would be the private opinions of any other individual in the community. Yet when he is cornered he will possibly be prepared to go to law on the matter —he has everything to gain, and the ratepayers have a large amount to lose, without the prospect of being the gainer by a singli sixpence. Where, then, does the childishnes: come in ? If the ratepayers are in volved in serious consequences, on :

motion which gives them no prospect of a gain, they will consider the Board's action in a much more serious light than that of childishness. The Engineer has been plainly told that he is to be dismissed from the Board’s service, and nearly half the time of notice has now elapsed. Mr Shelton proposes that at next meeting the Board should resolve to offer the Engineer an opportunity of coming to some terms as to his agreement. A month more must elapse before that can be even put to a meeting of the members; that will mean that about three-fourths of the time of notice will have passed before anything in the shape of a settlement can be attempted. But, in the face of what has been done, Mr Thomson, as a man of honor, has no alternative than to leave the matter take its course in the hands of his solicitor. Any other person, placed in similar circumstances, would nave done the same thing, and not many would be likely to withdraw from it to suit the pleasure of those who have forced it upon him. Then the majority of the Board have not even acted in accordance with the advice of their solicitor ; they gave only four months' notice instead of six, as advised. After their having thus departed from his advice, is it likely that Mr DeLautour will take up the case ? As a matter of professional etiquette, we should hardly think he would do so. If that be so another solicitor who will take up the case will have to be secured. In the meantime it is not likely the Government will allow the works to be carried on without the supervision of an Engineer who has met with their approval. Unless some arrangement is come to, there will be very little time to make provision for the appointment of another officer. Then there may be such a jumble and confusion, possibly leading to a stoppage of the works, that the ratepayers will want to know how it all comes about, and if the uncertainties of the law are also against them, well the ratepayers cannot remain in dreamland about the affair.

The members of the Board are perfectly satisfied, and we believe Mr Thomson acknowledges it as understood, that if the works are stopped after the expenditure of the /'40,00o — as no doubt they will be—his engagement also terminates ; so that really it is only a matter of another twelve months’ work after the expiration of the notice. That, too, will perhaps be the most important part, excepting the first preparation of plans. If the Engineer institutes a lawsuit, he would hardly accept a reappointment to suit the Board, and therefore, instead of the last twelve months of the work, so far as it can go at present, being carried on expeditiously and free from the troubles of the past, a new man will probably have to be appointed, while the ratepayers’ money will be frittered away in litigation. This will completely upset the contract business, for the Board will surely not be mad enough to let contracts when they may for a time be without an Engineer to exercise the necessary supervision. At present the laborers can be discharged at very short notice, but contractors would require a good sum for compensation if they were interfered with in that way.