ALLEGED NEGLECT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 27, 1 February 1924, Page 3

ALLEGED NEGLECT

CLAIM AGAINST CIVIL ' ENGINEER

CONSTRUCTION OF MASTERTON'S

SEPTIC TANK.

(II miaitAfß PRESS AtSOCUTION.)

MASTERTON, 3.lst JanuaryWhat is probably the first case of its kind ever heard in New Zealand, and one which affects every local body and engineer, was brought on in the Magistrate's Court to-day, when the Masterton Borough Council' proceeded against Charles Edward E\tans, engineer, of Hastings, and formerly engineer to the Masterton Borot\gh Council, to recover damages amounting to £85 10s, for alleged neglect and unskilled supervision while in the employ of the council. Mr. H. Mackenzie Douglas appeared for the council, and Evans was defended by Mr. A. W. Blair. Evidence for plaintiffs sho wed that it was Evans's duty to supervise the installation of a new_ septic .tank arid pipe lines. Evans's work ivas continually being criticised, and he was asked to resign. Some months after the completion of the septic tatnk there was a subsidence of 20 yards of earth, and the new engineer ordered the work to be opened up, when the pipe lines were found to be untrue to line and graded and many were broken and not jointed, though the,,specification provided that they be jointed with cement. The whole, job, it Was alleged, displayed fanlty material and -workmanship. Evans stated that lie was engaged to succeed James Archer, who had laid the major portion of the work before defendant took over, and owing to the nature of the ground, had left the pipes open to absorb the subsoil water, thereby reducing the pressure- on the tank. Defendant followed this course till the completion of the job, and the council had been reimbursed by a refund from the contractors. ■ \ ■ ♦i,M* ?!A ir s*tirically commented' on the fact that there had been a considerable amount of needless expenditure in the borough and the council desired to make someone a scapegoat The Magistrate said he would deal with the matters as they were, no matter what was the motive. Decision was reserved.