WASTE OF MATERIAL

Evening Star, Issue 19772, 24 January 1928, Page 5

WASTE OF MATERIAL

CITY COUNCIL UNDERTAKINGS INQUIRY SOUGHT BY RATEPAYERS Allegations that, through the lack of co-ordination between the various departments of the City Council, waste was going on were made at last night s meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Ratepayers’ Association. Mr H. Halliday said a report had been made to the association that 380 tons of cement at Waipori for the new dam had been damaged, the total cost, including cartage, being £4,000. The president (Mi A E. Ansell) bad been asked to investigate, and the report was found to bo substantially correct. Mr G A. Lewin (town clerk) had forwarded a letter, but it was kept in hand, as Mr Lewin had promised to give later information as to the cost of reinstatement of tho cement. That information had not come to hand, and Mr Halliday considered that the letter should bo releasedThe town clerk’s letter stated:—-“It is reported to me that since tho financial year 1924-25 300 tons of cement have been sent to Waipori in connection with tho operations of the Alahinerangi dam. At the middle of November about sixty-two tons of this quantity remained,'and it is reported that of this quantity some thirty-seven tons have set in the bags after having become damp. The outstanding reason for the spoiling of this quantity—less than 10 per cent, of tho whole—was undoubtedly tho delay in proceeding with the erection of the dam.” Mr Halliday (referring to the E.P. and L. department); We have an autocrat running that department, and he does what he likes A Member' And he gets away with it.

Mr T. Steelman said such matters of municipal waste should be brought before the public’s attention. The public should have the whole question opened up to show that some of the members of the City Council and those holding responsible positions under tho council wore not doing their job. Mr Sincock : 1 would not like In say that. A great deal of the present trouble is attributable to past employees. When yon go into the history T believe you will find that the present engineer's discovery of tho unsatisfactory foundations of the dam would he largely responsible for the cement being at Waipori. It took him six months to investigate, but whether ho was too slow in his investigation f am not prepared to say. But the present engineer is thorough, and would not put his name to any report unless lie wore satisfied that it was correct.

Air Halliday; No! Mr Sincock: The cement must have boon taken to Waipori before tho last allocation, and those outside tho E.L. and P, Committee were in ignorance of the. fact that work was going on. When the city engineer’s report had stopped tho work an effort .should have been made to use tbe cement elsewhere.

Two years ago, said the Chairman, Cr Mitchell had unsuccessfully tried to have passed a motion which would bring about greater co-ordination between tho various departments of tho City Counid. Although the engineering staff laid found that the foundations for the dam were not good, someone had previously placed an order for the cement. Someone was placing orders without first obtaining the council’s permission. Air P. L. Ritchie: That is done every day in business.

Air Sincock said that tho order could ho given officially only through tbe controller of stores, hut it had probably been issued at the instigation of someone responsible in the E.P. and L. department. Probably the chairman and the engineer were responsible. Air Halliday said the association was not worrying about the mistake, but over the want of co-ordination between the electric department and tho city engineer. Someone, however, should be held responsible for the waste of material. “ The lack of co-ordination is not due to the town clerk.” said Air Sincock. “ It has been felt for some time that the E.P. and L. Committee docs far too much on its own without having the council's permission.” Mr Halliday; Would yon alter that statement to refer to the chairman and the engineer?

Mr Sincock: No. T would prefer that the president and secretary wait on the town dork and ascertain the position in regard to co-ordination between tbe departments.

A motion to that effect was carried, Air Halliday remarking that the. council had a highly-paid city engineer who was being ignored by others.