PETONE AND HUTT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1909, Page 2

PETONE AND HUTT.

KUTT BOROUGH LOAN EXPENDITURE.

Tho Hutfc Borough Council again meti last evening in oonnection with the enquiry into the expenditure of the £52,000 loan. Tho Mayor (Mr. E. P. Bunny) presided, and the following members were present: — Councillors Clere, Anson, Pearce, Kempthorno, Barlow, Macaskill, and Baldwin. At tho outset, the Mayor read a report from Mr. Mestnyer, as to the cost of the excavation for tho sewerage scheme. In it. Mr. Mestayer stated that the object of hie report appeared to be, primarily, to settle disputed amounts aa put torward by the different engineers. Both gentlemen, ho reported, agreed a 6 to the sewers, and on taking out the lengths from the plan that he himself agreed very closely with the lengths given by the Borough Engineer in his report of the l6t inst. In taking out the quantities of tho excavation ho had adopted a different plan to that adopted by the Borough Engineer. He then priced each section at what he considered the lowest 'rate at which ft could reasonably bo expected to be done. Continuing, he said : "I wish it to be clearly understood that I do not for one moment contend that such work' could not be done for lesa than the prices adopted. It is quite probable that some of the sections might be done for considerably less, bui on the other hand some of the sections will certainty cost more than I have allowed. # especially where much water i« met with. . . One important point on •which I differ from the Borough Engineer is in the width ho has allowed foe the trenches and this will account for thei greater part of the excess of the exca-l vation in my quantities. Tho widths I have adopted are what I have alwayd adopted in my own practice." Th'n total estimated cost of excavating for the eastorn section, he added, was £6793 18s 6d ; while the western section would involva £2482 15s. '"Some slight reduction might possibly be effected by a judicious selection of the work, carrying; out only the shallowest portions during the winter, and leaving all the deeper portions to bo done in the summer; on the other hand, tho advantage is discounted somewhat by the loss of time involved in shifting the gangs from one place to another, instead of going straightforward, and personally I would not lika to take the responsibility of advising your council that the work could be carried out for less than £9000." DISCUSSION. Some discussion took place regarding thei cost per foot of excavation work, the borough engineer maintaining .that his own, estimate, far from being too low (as stated by Mr. Mestayer), was in some cases rather high. As a matter of fact he had juei; finished work in Waterloo-road at £1 3s 4(J per chain less than Mr. Mestayer's estU mate. Mr. Bunny : The point ib that we now have tho estimates of three competent en* gincera to the contrary. Mr. Rix-Trott: It ie t.n actual fact. Other councillors— Mr. Barlow in par* ticnlar — contended that Mr. Mestayer'a estimates were on the high side. Mr. Baldwin said he was prepared to accept the borough engineer's figures. Tho question of calling tenders for ths carrying out of the balance of the work also entered into the discussion. Upon, one or two councillors being inclined to favour a proposition to call tenders co as to get a comparison with the borough engineer's estimate of work to be done, tha Mayor warned members that no firm wou!dT tender unless there was a prospect of obtaining the contract. Summarising the mattei, Councillor Anson remarked: The borough engineer has npt been responsible for excessive expenditure. I think it is quite evident that) the previous borough councils were Mr Bunny: We are hardly on that snrtw jeot at the present moment An argument then ensued between the Mayor nnd the borough engineer as to whether the lattpr should really b© credited with the authorship of certain of tho plans and surveys in connection with tho different schemes Tho Mayor sought to show that much of this workr'Tor which, the engineer claimed responsibility, had been done by subordinate officers and by Messrs Meason and Merchant In support; of this he quoted a letter, originally placed' before the old council, in which the writer (a former officer of the council! said he hacD performed much of the taking of levels, traversing, and the drawing out of other important details To these statements^ however, Mr Rix-Trott gavo an emphatia denial Touching on the subject of excavation, Mr Baldwin said Mr Laing-Meason's esti» mate was absolutely wrong Tn reference to the alleged misapportionj ing of loan moneys, the Mayor said that when the estimated expenditure on a particular work was before the council,, tha enrrineer knew very well what he wa* going to srjend it upon, and whether it was unauthorised ot not. Councillor Kempthorne : I think Mr Rix J Trott and the council were equally t« blame According to Councillor Anson, jf the* council 1 * chose to say that certain work ought to be performed, it was not a borouarh engineer's place to object Mr Bunny asked what business had the engineer to make recommendations to tha council, knowing that the funds were boing diverted from their proper purposes.' Councillor Baldwin : I take it that it was entirely in the' hands of tho council , Councillor Anson, Barlow, and Macaskill concurred with Councillor Baldwin. The Mayor: No doubt there is great blame attachable to the council, but that fact does not absolve the engineer. But T am not Baying that wo must blame him and nobody else. Councillor Macaskill: It seems that th» sins of tho past two councils are being put down to tho borough engineer. . . . It is ridiculous to make him responsible for the acts of the council. Certainly, however, I say that it was wrong of tha councils. There aro a lot of side issues and quibbles that liavo been introduced; consequently wo are not any further for« ward to-night than we were when we firsi started. However, it will practically end in smoke. In order to bring matters tp a head, Councillor Anaon moved, and /Councillor Baldwin seconded — "That although tho council regrets that IJicre has been an improper excess of expenditure, it con. eiders that tho borough engineer (Mr. Rix-Trott) is not to blame." While not absolving tho past council ' from blame, Councillor Ciero considered that Mr. Rix-Trott's place' was simply to advise tho council from an engineering 1 point of view. Councillor Pearce moved an amondmouis to tho effect that the word "altogether" be inserted before the word "blame." Mr. Ecmpthorue: ,1 think i-ho word* "not entirely to blame" would be bettor. Councillor Pearce, agreeing to this* further alteration, the amendment wai put and carried on the casting vole of th» Mayor. Councillor;, Anson, Barlow, Bald*, win. and Macahkill voted against, it Subsequently the Mayor intimated that a special meeting would bo held on Friday next, when evidence would bo taken of Mr. Comctti and other borough council employees. Upon t.ho question being raised, Mr. Bunny remarked that ho presumed thei a was no objecrion to the publication o£ Mr. Mcstaj er's report. In answer to Mr. Rix-Trott, tho Mayor said ho had no objection (o two lettersfrom mayors being published. They wera as under: —"Sir,— My counril authorised all tho worfifi enumerated by you, at a total cost, » of £7385 6s Bd, all" of wlneh. were recommended by you and endorsed by my council as being absolutely necessary. Tho council had the authority of the ratepayers for these works, \ido voting paper* of November ird, 1905."— T W McDonald." "Sir, — Th» amount* shown in your ra* P° l 't- .... ar« eon-act aeeordinß- to tha balance-shsats. . . . Tha engineer was duly authorised to •xoeuta them. What yon say in regard to tha rtatmonfc of works having been placed befcro tha committee is perfectly correct, and th« works wore authorised in tho loan nrcx posals." l The- council dgo^d that Mayor M'Bon, aid and Mr. W. H. Russell (in the absence of Mr. Peterkin) bo invited to Stira evideac*, ° "*