idered to be a high salary, amounting to about £225, and which ought to have satisfied any man with a common appetite, and he was bound not to take up any private practice of his own. But, for all that they found him engaged as surveyor of Mr. Gallop’s house in York Buildings, the shop fronts of Mr. Mason and Mr. Bevins, Mr. G. Stace’s house in West street, the alterations at the Royal Oak, and the two houses of Mr. Jas. Mann in St. Leonards. He had also asked for an engagement in Mr. Styles’s work. When they found a gentleman so outstepping the bounds of prudence, he (Mr. Vidler) thought he was no longer entitled to their confidence.
Ald. Ross was sorry that the surveyor had gone out of his way in respect to the conditions on which he held his appointment from the Board. An advertisement in The Builder was that the surveyor “will be required to devote the whole of his time to the duties of his office”. The Surveyor then handed over the agreement deed, in which he had said there was no such limitation. In reply it was contended that such omission must have been an oversight in its preparation. Coun. Picknell declared that Mr. Winter, the Street Inspector, seemed to do most of the Surveyor’s work, whilst the Surveyor never lent a hand and was never seen out in the morning looking after the work.
Coun. Bromley – who several times interrupted when Ald. Ross was speaking – said there appeared to be a “pecking” at the Surveyor. If it could be shewn that he had neglected his duties, turn him out. Did they expect their surveyor to devote the whole 24 hours to their service. He himself thought it was a credit to the surveyor to endeavour to add to his means to bring up his family.
Coun. Winter was extremely surprised at what had been done. He knew from the complaints of tradesmen that there was a considerable amount of dissatisfaction existing in the town that Mr. Laing should outstep the spirit of his engagement. Mr. Winter then pointed out several cases of inattention to what he described as small matters, and also said that Mr. Laing had not given the committees the assistance he was capable of. He moved that the question be referred to the Roads Committee, with whom the appointment was originally made.
Ald. Clement remarked that it appeared there was not now sufficient work of the Council’s to keep the Surveyor fully employed, and if he could get other employment and still carry on his regular work properly at a reduction of a third or so, of his salary, both parties would, perhaps, be gainers. - Application referred to the Roads Committee. (See page 131 for decision and personalities).
The Town Crier’s Livery. At the July meeting this matter -
