A GRIEVANCE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 43, 19 February 1918, Page 8

A GRIEVANCE

ENGINEERS AND LOCAL BODIES.

A .matter of much interest to the pro-' fession was mentioned at to-day's conference of members of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers. A clause in the report of the council stated that letters had been addressed to the Ministers of Public Works and Lands with reference to these Departments of the Government advising upon and carrying out works for local authorities.

Mr. H. F. Toogood warmly criticised what he termed the political heads of the Public Works Department in allowing the professional staff to do work for local bodies without charging an engineering fee. This was a very great disadvantage to men in private practice. At present any local body could apply for and get a.subsidy, and also the services of an engineer and a clerk of works absolutely free. He strongly urged a reversion ,to the system of charging . local bodies with a percentage for engineering services.

The Chairman (Mr. J. Blair Mason) said he was sure they all sympathised with the principle of Mr. Toogood's remarks. The practice referred to had become a custom, a habit; a precedent had been created, and such things died a hard.death. But they did die; they must die, as justice must prevail. It might take time. He had been told in explanation that the engineering services were given free because a subsidy was granted, but there was no doubt that it was a political matter, and had been taken out of the hands of the engineers entirely. Something might be done when the Bill was before Parliament, and the council would be persistent in its efforti to have the matter remedied.

Mr. R. W. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, said that he was unable to say what the Ministers had done in the matter. He could assure his hearers, however, that the officers of the Public Works Department are fully alive to the troubles members in private practice suffer from. He and Mr. Thompson were doing, in a quiet way, all they could to remedy the existing state'of affairs.

The Chairman: Well, anyway, an injustice cannot be perpetuated. The subject was not further discussed.