BOROUGH WORKS COMMITTEE.

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1935, Page 5

BOROUGH WORKS COMMITTEE.

[to thx iditob.] Sir,-—Would you allow me space to correct some very misleading and false statements you made regarding the Borough Works Committee and its chairman in your editorial in last Friday night’s Star? In explanation, I may state that the usual procedure adopted by the Borough Council after its election, is to get the Engineer and the Works Committee to formulate a schedule of the most important works , required to be carried out during the ensuing year, and submit a report thereon. When this is done, the whole of the Council, in. committee, decide (after due consideration regarding finance etc'., necessary to the fulfilment of the programme of works) on the amount of new work as well as maintenance, it can undertake during the year ahead. After serious consideration the various suggested works are set out on a list •'in their order of urgency. I may say that this list is fairly formidable, the Council generally planning for more than the Engineer and his staff can accomplish. This list, like the . laws of the Medes and Persians, is unalterable, without the sanction of the -Council. Hence there is no occasion for further meetings of the works committee, other than the several monthly inspections or emergency meetings, which are called by circularising each member. The reports of the committee, on the various works and matters referred to them, are not compiled by the Engineer on my rough data, but on suggestions made by the Engineer, and agreed to, or otherwise, by the members of the cpmmittee present. I cannot be held responsible for the absentees. This report is typed by tho office staff and a copy is supplied to each member of the Council. So I fail to see where “Rafferty” applies. To discussing work in the presence of a nonCouncil member, I plead guilty. Not being in business and afraid, to lose patronage, probably makes me rather more open in these matters. In any " case the deliberations are all in the interests of the public and no Star Chamber methods are necessary. You refer in a disparaging note to my wan. ing enthusiasm, age, and energy. Well, sir, I am not alone in this respect as grey hairs are noticeable in other heads as well as mine. Yours, etc., R. J. WILLIAMS, Chairman of the Borough Works Committee.

On our correspondent’s own admission, the "Stat” statements were correct. He is quibbling about members “attendance.” The Engineer is apparently the real Works Committee, and this should not be. —Ed. “Star.”