The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo." THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1876

Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 1975, 8 June 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED "The Evening News," "The Morning News," and "The Echo."

THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1876

Fir the c£um that iacts assktanca, For tin wrong thai. iKcds ftsistincS, Z Jor the futitri: in tiis .liitaucc. And tin cood tl'.si we cm do.

That Mr Aicken, C.E., did write a letter Lo the Cross denouncing the manner in w.'Ah the Harbour Board's interests are being protected in connection \. Ith the graying dock is unquestionable, and this proceeding has its sequel. Mr Aicken had a personal interview with the editor of our contemporary concerErig the publication of his letter, and that gent'eman, we understand, said someth;i2g to the effect that its insertion would! cause a devil of a row in Auckland, and suggested that it should be held over. It matters very little, I however, what transpired duJng th:s conversation ; it is sufficient that the letter did not appear, and next day the editor had a long consultafcionjwith Mr.Errington. The result was'a recognition of Mr Aicken's claims to consideration for p?st services ; and, a private arbitration having besn arranged, Mr Aicken was awarded £225 all, A cheque endorsed by the editor md one of the contractors for the dock, as arbitrators for the amount due under this award, leas what Mr Aicken had received before, was handed over to him. His letter to the Cross has not appeared to this day. The award, it is stated, was made upon the ba3is of £50 a month for the four months and a half that Mr Aicken had been engaged. Without doubting that Mr Aicken was fully entitled to every sixpence he received, there are circumstances connected with the transaction which are very singular, particularly the active interest taken in the case by the editor of the Gross. It is by no means a usual circumstance for editors to run about as mediators in disputes brought under their notice by correspondents. And so far as concerns the value to the public of any exposures which Mr Aicken might have considered himself in a position to make, it was quite immaterial whether he had been paid the amount claimed by him or nofc. The friendly arbitration which his claim, and at the

same time consigned to oblivion hia letters could have no possible Influence upon the contents of that letter, whatever they may have been. It h very far from our desire to injure Mr Errirsgtcn, who haa always borne the reputation of a first-clasa mechanical engineer, but in matters of such vital importance to the public as tho construction of this dock and waterworks, we should be grossly blam?ible were we to connive at the concealment of .-"lything ca'eulated to throw light uron the conduct of these works. It is due to Mr Errington, and to the Harbour Board, the City Oouncil, and the public, that every publicity shall be given H the whole of the circumstances, and the affair sifted to the very bottom. It is worse than idle, after the mischief is done, to throw the blame upon the engineer, as was done in connection with the egregious blunder perpetrated with the railway pier. Mistakes of that kind appear so glaring that people, rightly or wrongly, begin to doubt whether they are mistakes at all These suspicions are best dissipated by healthy ventilation, and it will invariably be found that publicity is favourable to the truth, on whatever side that may lie.

Since the foregoing article was in type we learn with satisfaction that Mr Errington appears to have taken the view of the case r Ivocatsd by us, and has addressed lotters to the Mayor and Chairman of the Hirbour Board asking for an inquiry. Whatever may hn the value of Mr Aickon's testimony it is quits certain that gentlemfin hag made statement- concerning the clock works and wa^nr supply, wlrch, in the public inters its ought to Vt itivestiqa^d. We undersrsud that tho Mayor will move at the next meoung for the appointment of a corr.mitf c rr> invsstigats the malhr, and until the result of these inquiries is known, tho public should suspend judgment. The following are the letters addressed by Mr Errington to the Mayor and Harbour Board :—

" Canada Buildings, "June Bth, IS7G. " To the Chairman, City Council, Auckland

"Sir.- Ob-^ervinc; a a^aroment made in Ir'tt evening's Star to the effect that alterations have been mr 1c upon the oiiginal designs since the completion of the Waterworks contract, which would have made a diffe-ence of fSO.^O in tho amount of tendeiing, and also other statements rs to the water not flowing in pipes, etc., under the contract, I havo the honor to r"quest you will immediately authorize a searching cnqui;y tobemrdeinto these statement, which, I can on'y ray, are ontrary to facts.

" I have, &c, "Wm. Erkingtok, "Engineer, Auckland Waterworks." " Canada Buildings. "Juno Bth, IS7G. "To the Chrirman, Auckland Harbour

Board

" Sir,—Certain statements having been made in the Evening Stah of yesterday, having reference to alteration of Dock site, I havo now the honor to rrquest that you will immediately cause an enquiry to bo made in the matter.

" I have, &c , " WrXTiTAM PJRRINGTOX. I" Engineer Auckland Graving Dock."