CORRESPONDENCE. THE LEE STREAM.

Evening Star, Issue 11701, 6 October 1902, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE LEE STREAM.

TO THE EDITOIt.

Sir, —Having read " HydrauUc's " criticism and Mr Rogers's and Mr Anderson's I/ce Stream water proposals to the City Council, and his remarks on engineers in general, I can endorse his criticism, and it is strange if there arc not hundreds in Dunedin (including, perhaps, one or more members of the City Council) who can do the same. I also know of the incompetency of some men with C.E. after their names being sent to the goklfields to survey more than one water race in broken country, and how local practical men could have made a better job at half the cost to shareholders. It seems to me that those in authority, who have often to spend other people's money, are either very green or careless as to whom they employ. They would sooner employ men fresh from the university, who can do a bit of nice tracing on paper, with a few letters to their names, than men with years of practical experience. I can well believe "Hydraulic" would not exchange his twelve years' experience in race constructing for all the theoretical knowledge of any engineer it* the colony. I myself, who have, perhaps, Hot had so extensive an experience as " Hydraulic," would let said engineers severely alone in constructing races or bringing in water from one point to another in broken country. Then as to dams. If the materials are suitable, a wefl-eonstructed earth dam is better than a badly-desigued or constructed stone one J Not knowing personally the country vchere the proposed race is to be constructed, whether on the sunny side of the range or otherwise, nor lta different features, etc., I am unable to say whether all piping would be best or part piping and part open race, Anv way, I would sooner back up "Hydraulic's" experience than the seemingly theoretical knowledge of the two engineers.-! am. etc., ° TUV^ October 6. J.K.K.