CIVIL ENGINEERS

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 45, 21 February 1918, Page 2

CIVIL ENGINEERS

A CONVERSAZIONE

INTERESTING SPEECHES.

Meeting socially"-,' last evening, members of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, at present sitting in conference in Wellington, spent a most enjoyable time in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall.

The president (Mr. J. Blair Mason) was in the chair, and seated at his table were the Hon. Sir William Fraser, Min-. ister of Public Works; the Hon. G. W. Russell, x Minister ,of Internal- Affairs; Captain Hall Thompson, Naval Adivser to the Government; Mr. Orcluston, Chief Engineer, Telegraph Department; Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, M.P.; and Mr. S. A. R. Mair, president-elect of the society. A number of other guests were also present, and apology was made for the absence oJ the Hon. T. M. AVilford, Minister of Justice, Mr. C. E. Daniell, Mr. William Ferguson, Mr. E. Fletcher; M.P., and others.

The toast of "The King" was loyally honoured.

In-proposing'the toast of "The Parliament of New Zealand," the President urged that if the tone of Parliament was to be kept ifp they should see to it that they put men in there likely to do 60. He referred, amidst applaiise, to the honour recently conferred on the Hon. Sir William Frasei 1, 1 and said he felt sure that under that gentleman the public works of the Dominion would be carried out on safe and sound lines.

In replying, Sir William Fraser said Parliament was sometimes not very highly thought of. He had been. 25 years a/ member and was still, proud that he was a. member. Mistakes must occur, but he felt sure that it was the desire of Parliament to assist in the development of the country. One good thing Parliament had done was the establishment, soon after the war, of the National Government. (Applause.) Whatever might be said of the National Government one thing was sure; each member was intent on doing his best in the in^ terests of the country—to win the war. Despite much that had been said regarding differences in the Cabinet he had never seen any such thing. Parliament was what the people made it, and he' held they had a good Parliament in New Zealand and a good National Cabinet. The Hon. G. W. Russell also replied. He said that the Parliament of New Zealand had always occupied a high place in the Parliaments of the world; due largely to the great line of speakers from Sir David Munro right down to that greatest of speakers, the late Si* Maurice O'Rorke. Mr. Russell gave some moat interesting reminiscences of past Parliaments, and said he was sure that every member of the present Parliament was most anxious to do his duty to the country. , Mr.' Hindmarsh. also replied to the toast. x

Mr. S. Jickell (Palmerston North) proposed the toast of the "Navy and the Army," paying a very high tribute to the work of these great forces in the past, and at the present day. Captain Hall Thompson responded. No service, he said, perhaps with the exception of Parliament (laughter) lived, bo much on tradition , as did the Navy. Racily, he recorded some interesting anecdotes of his own personal experience, and aroused, applause by .stating that: in* his firm opinion the spirit of the Navy to-day was just the same as of yore. . "The Local Authorities of New Zealand" was the next toast,, entrusted to Mr. R. W. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, past president of the society. The local authorities, he said, were quite as important in their way as the general , Government. He dealt with the objects s.t the society, and said that perhaps it lacked the hall-mark of Government approval. It would be a good thing if the <*>vernment would institute a. system of proper examination?, and issue certificates, so that local'bodies might know they were getting the services of properly qualified engineers. While extending thanks to many local bodies for their assistance in enabling their engineers to attend the society's annual meeitngs, Mr Holmes said there were some local bodies who did not mete out fair treatment to their engineers; they did not treat them as educated men, and when some little accident occurred, ,tha engineer, quite probably through no fault of his own received all the blame. Mr. Holmes concluded by emphasising the importance of local bodies, and felt sure that their members recognised the importance of civil engineers. (Applause.) Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh replied to the toast in the unavoidable absence of the Mayor (Mr. j; P. Luke, C.M.G.) and Mr. 0 E. Daniell. He urged the need for reform of local government in New Zealand, and deprecated the interference with engineers so often displayed by local bodies.

The Hon. Sir William Frasor proposed the toast.of the New, Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, which, he said, did much to provide well trained and competent engineers. He paid a tribute to the profession, and congratulated the society on its formation, not alone in their own interests but in the interests of the community. A great deal of engineering work had to be carried out <in a young country, and every encouragement should be given to the society; it should bo put upon a proper footing. Many of the local authorities were too small, and until moderately-sized local bodies were formed they would not be able to get the proper engineering work done, as the small bodies could.not afford to employ the properly qualified engineer. He hoped the society would grow and prosper, and lie would do all in his power to help theni' in this direction.' (Applause.) The toast ■was responded to by the president in an eloquent speech. During the evening a musical and elocutionary programme, disclosing some really good talent, was contributed to by . the following gentlemen :—Messrs. Baker, F. C. Widdop, Basham Walker, R. S. Bounthwaite, Oasey, Barnes, and' Paterson.