BOROUGH AFFAIRS—SELFISHNESS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 265, 13 May 1895, Page 2

BOROUGH AFFAIRS—SELFISHNESS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAU. Sir,—We have iust had an exampio of the action of certain mean men in connection with the invitation of certain Volunteers to a certain " bun scramble," and now another sample shows itself to the ratepayers. May I ask Mr W. Reid would he not be glad of the assistance of the Fire Brigade were he living near Manchester Square and his house wras on fire ? Mr Reid would be the first to seek the assistance of the Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade. Yet, because Mr Reid happens to live out of reasonable distance of the Fire Brigade station, he wants the Brigade wiped out of existence, and doesn't care a " rap " what other ratepayers suffer. Now we come to the architect question, which seems to trouble Mr Reid. The recognised architectural charges from one end of New Zealand to the other are not less than 6;V per cent, which includes preparing plans, specifications, supervising the erection of building, detail drawings, and a duplicate set for the builder's use on the contract. The architect chosen to do the work (in the event of the loan being carried) has paid his premium for three years, served his articles and completed them, to a firm composed of two Fellows of the Royal Institute of British Architects, besides he is the only one in Feildinp who practices architecture as his sole profession. He, therefore, does not interfere with any other man's business by dabbling in commission or insurance agency business. It is not honorable for any man (in order to obtain an advantage over another) to offer his services at half the recognised rate for such services, and I think that if Mr Reid belonged to a Farmers' Association which decided that Ss per head was to be the lowest at which they could sell sheep (and thereby earn a living) and Mr Reid deliberately sold his on the quiet at 4s per head Mr Reid would no louger be recognised as a fit member of the said Farmers' Association. Again, witli reference to the .£l2 paid for the plans referred to, I may state that I believe the recognised charges for such plans are one and a-half per cent on the cost of proposed building (.£800), and I know that after they were prepared the architect had to draw a duplicate set to be sent Home to the Colonists' Land and Loan Corporation in order to obtain the grant of proposed land to the Borough Council, as it was a distinct undcrstaudiug that the structure to be erected was to be presentable aud substantial, and the Corporation wished to inspect the plans to satisfy themselves. Now, as the architect did not charge for making the duplicate drawings, he has consequently been ouly paid :'} per cent, instead of 1£ per cent for the work he actually did. Perhaps this will surprise Mr Reid, but he should make himself conversant with facts before rushiug into print. In conclusion, I consider the Borough Council have acted most justly towards the ratepayers ou the question. If Mr Reid considers otherwise he should become a member of the Feilding Borough Council aud put the Councillors on the right track. I hope that in future Mr Reid will live and lot live. I am, etc., Ratepayer.