THE HARBOUR ENGINEER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 135, 10 June 1925, Page 6

THE HARBOUR ENGINEER.

Ln appointing the acting-engineer to succeed Mr. Hamer the Harbour Board took the expected step. A majority of the Board had long since made up their minds not to go abroad for an engineer. We still hold that this is a wrong

policy. Mr. Holderness. no doubt, is a capable engineer, and he has served the Board for some years. He has, however, served under an engineer whos? work has been much criticised, and in "ne

proved respect resulted in failure. So much is at stake that it would have paid the port to offer a much larger salary to attract a man of .outstanding ability and experience, from oversea, who would have reviewed the programme of works and what has already been done. The Board could have either appointed such an engineer permanently o.' giver, him a two or three years' engagement, witli Mr. Holderness as bis assistant, tbe understanding being that Mr. Holderness would succeed to the position. In any case the position should have been thrown open to competition at what the Board thought an adequate salary.