Canal failures under scrutiny

Press, 16 August 1984, Page 13

Canal failures under scrutiny

PA Auckland The Institution of Professional Engineers is looking for ways to salvage accurate information on failures such as those at the Ruahihi and Wheao hydro schemes. The Ministry of Works and Development held inquiries into both canal collapses, but because of restrictions much remained to be learned in areas of engineering management and responsibility, said the president of the institution, Mr Alec Stirrat.

“Questions of insurance and professional liability on the part of those engineers directly involved make it very difficult for them to make such information available,” Mr Stirrat told

Auckland Rotary Club members.

Because attempts to salvage information were frustrated, Mr Stirrat said, the institution was seeking ways to allow inquiries so that true and accurate information could be established without prejudicing the position of those directly involved in the failure.

Liability and indemnity were causing professional engineers concern, he said. In some cases an engineer could risk an action for negligence for the rest of his life.

Such a burden of liability “is certainly not conducive to the provision of a satisfactory service,” Mr Stirrat said.