DRAINAGE BOARD

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30555, 25 September 1964, Page 1

DRAINAGE BOARD

Engineers’ Complaint

The Christchurch Drainage Board's difficulties in attracting an engineer to replace Mr 11. F. Page, who has resigned, as chief engineer led the president of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers (Mr G. R. Milne) to visit Christchurch from Wellington yesterday for a discussion with the board’s chairman (Mr R. C. Neville). Members of the institution had noted with deep concern certain statements made at meetings of the board which appeared to reflect on the integrity and co-operation of the board’s engineers, Mr Milne said later. “It seemed evident that the climate' in which the engineering staff has had to function of late is not conducive to attracting and holding the type of qualified person the board requires for its satisfactory operation,” he said. "Something must be done to improve this climate, and it was for this reason that I came to Christchurch to see Mr Neville. “The institution is desirious of doing all in its power to ensure that in the public interest conditions should be such as to attract the best qualified applicants for the position of chief engineer of the board,” said Mr Milne. He believed that the board was just as concerned about the position, said Mr Milne. Members would have an opportunity of studying Mr Milne’s remarks and the position at a special meeting he had called for Monday afternoon.