CHARGES REFUTED

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 9

CHARGES REFUTED

THE CITY ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE. MR K. A. CAMPBELL'S ENQUIRY. An affirmation of its confidence hr the City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith) and the officers of his Department was unanimously carried by the Christchurch City Council last night after a long discussion m committee. This action was taken following an investigation by Mr R. A. Campbell, formerly Professor of Engineering at Canterbury College, into a series of charges made against the department's road-making work by Cr. G. T. Baker. Mr Campbell'? report, which was released for publication, stated that no ' reliance could be placed on the "speculations" of a man named Williams, a former employee of the council, whose evidence was the basis : of Cr. Baker's charges. When the council resumed.- after meeting in committee, the . Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) reported that it had considered a report by Mr R. A. Campbell regarding certain charges and statements ■ made against the engineering staff by Cr. Baker. - Cr. M. E. Lyons then moved that having received Mr Campbell's report the council should express *ts opinion that the charges were unfounded, and reaffirm its full confidence in the engineer and his department; also that the report prepared by Mr Campbell should be released for publication.

Grave Charges. "At the meeting of the. Council at which the charges were made, said Cr. Lyons, "the gravest reflections were made on the professional reputation, the integrity, and the veracity of the City Engineer and his department. The investigations of Mr Campbell constitute a full answer to the charges. I regret tee necessity to move a motion, of this kind, but I feel we should be doing less than justice to the City Engineer and his staff, if we do not pass it. Cr. G. T. Thurston said he thought it was time the council took the business of question-asking" "■' vary seriously. Recent batches of questions had caused the engineers department a great deal of useless work and expense. "Here we are spending money and wasting time in drafting all this material 1 in connexion with jobs that were done years ago, and when we get the results of an expert's investigation they are a complete refutation of the charges made, added Cr. Thurston. "I think thatwhen the questions become so frivolous as some of these have become it J* time we took a stand and reserved the right to refuse to answer questions that we do not consider are worth answering." ... _ Without further discussion Cr. Lyons's motion was carried, unanimously.

Investigator's Report. Mr Campbell's report discusses "the statements made by <tae Williams" which were brought oeitorea meeting of enauiry on March 18 by Cr. Baker. He can find no evidence to support the first charge, that no cement had been put intoJh?concrete laid down in Colombo ftregt "Even if the charges that the foreman was under the influence of liquor was true, I am of opinion that the man at the mixer wouW continue to put the usual Quantity of cement in each batch," stattulfr Campbell. "Mr Williams's charge cannot affect him personally. way, and one can only conclude that he made his statement from a sense of duty to the ratepayers of Christchurch. If so, it seems a' pity that his sense of civic responsibility has lain dormant over the long ! period since this work was carried out. His statement on this work tends to discredit any charges he has made in respect to /.other works."

The report concludes: "As instructed I have examined all the charges brought against the City Engineer's department, and with the single exception of the drain at A- J. .White's corner, which is a'minor matter and which: involved the council in very little expense, I find that the charges cannot be substantiated. The two charges in connexion with the concrete in Colombo street and the levels at Cemetery road which could be investigated and have proved to be incorrect are sufficient to indicate that no reliance can be placed on the speculations of Williams. I should also like to add that Williams's action in attempting to collect data on delivery "of metal and other matters which were no concern of his and in keeping that information for a period of five years before producing it indicates a vindictive spirit which I am pleased to think is very rare among New Zealand workmen.** *