THE COUNTY ENGINEER AND PRIVATE PRACTICE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVI, Issue 1323, 28 August 1894, Page 5

THE COUNTY ENGINEER AND PRIVATE PRACTICE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —All the ratepayers of the Vincent County ought to thank you for making public the action of the County Council with regard to their engineer being allowed to do private surveying, together with any ordinary work for the County at a paid salary of £3OO per annum, and half of the net profits of private surveys. Every member of the Council must be aware that the services rendered to the Council by the engineer are not compatible with that salary, and it is shameful tor the Council to give him in addition to that, halt the profits of private surveys. The Council must have a knowledge that the office of engineer is all but a sinecure office, and that the private surveys will occupy most of his time, and it is, I feel sure, only reasonable for the ratepayers to expect that he will give his best attention to private surveys, with a view of augmenting his income. It would be most interesting, I feel sure, to the ratepayers of Vincent County, to have a detailed account of services rendered by the engineer from the time he sent in his resignation up to the present time, together with the salary received for same. I also agree with you re Mr J. S. Dickie, clerk to the County Council, who, I am credibly informed, is a most zealous and efficient officer, hoping that the Council will see their way to raise his salary to what it was before the retrenchment: of officers’ salaries. In conclusion, it is time the Vincent County Council woke up to asenseof theirduty to the ratepayers by calling for applications for a surveyor to do County and private work, say at £250 per annum. I feel sure plenty of competent men would be glad to get that amount. I am certain £l5O or £2OO per annum could be saved, which would be very acceptable in the present unsatisfactory state of the Council’s finance. If I was a member of the Council my voice would be heard in that direction. Hoping you will be kind enough to insert the above in your most valuable paper.—l am, etc.,

Ratepayer,

Clyde, August 22, 1594.