THE ROAD METAL QUESTION

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9789, 27 July 1897, Page 4

THE ROAD METAL QUESTION

The public, we venture to say, will not be satisfied with the decision of the Council in regard to the road metal question. The fact that the City Surveyor who ordered the test is out of the colony, that no attempt was made to get a report from him on the subject, and that the matter was not even brought up until after he had left New Zealand, is to say the least of it unsatisfactory. The foreman of the works and the metal spreader are merely subordinates, and to our mind were placed in a very unfair position last night by being brought before the Council and called upon to give a judicial opinion upon a question regarding which, it was well known, some of their employers held very decided opinions of their own. Clearly the City Surveyor is the only man who should be asked for an opinion on such a subject, and the Council seem to have carefully refrained from asking that officer anything about it. For our part, we cannot see what objection there can be to making another test under conditions which would put the result beyond the reach of cavil. One would have thought that the Works Committee, if they are really so certain that their pet sfcohe is the best, would have been glad of another trial, which would confirm their decision, and put the superiority of the article absolutely beyond question. Even the proprietor of this favoured commodity must be acting against his own interest ih not insisting on the opportunity of securing such a unique testimonial. We are reminded of the Englishman in France, who —much against his will, as he had never used a bow in his life before—was persuaded to try his skill at archery. To his intense surprise he landed his first shaft right in "the centre of the gold spot. His French' friends were delighted, and were clamorous that he should repeat the exploit. This, however, he flatly declined to do. He knew there was no chance whatever of another lucky fluke, and having so unexpectedly achieved a great reputation for himself he did not want to lose it. Some of the Christchuroh City Council no doubt think he was a wise man.^jj