BOROUGH ENGINEER’S RETIREMENT

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3944, 29 May 1913, Page 5

BOROUGH ENGINEER’S RETIREMENT

MR. J. F. SHERIDAN’S VIEWS,

EXPRESSES EXTREME REGRET.

“AN ARCHANGEL WANTED.” On the subject ef the dismissal of the Borough Engineer. Mr J. F. Sheridan, a recent candidate for the Mayoralty of Gisborne, had some interesting views to express to a “Gisborne Times” reporter yesterday. “Yes,” said Mr Sheridan in reply to a question, “I extremely regret the Engineer’s dismissal, as I consider him a very capable officer, and, although at one time opposed to him, he so satisfactorily explained- everything that I became an advocate of his. In my opinion, the trouble is that Mr Paterson was called on to execute the functions- of a consulting as well as a constructive engineer, whereas lie was employed l only as a constructing engineer. lam satisfied that in time to come his success, wherever he may be, will be shown and that wo will reap the good work done by Mr Paterson. I cannot understand why anyone who has been' closely associated with Mr Paterson can- possibly come to tho other conclusion the Council cam© to last night. The fact that Mr Kirk is alleged to have already made a saving of £3O a week to the Borough casts no reflection on Mr Paterson, whose duties, I take it, were not those of an administrator. I consider ho was a grossly overworked man and whenever I have been I found him lo be held, in high repute by his brother professionals.” “I was,” continued Mr Sheridan, “struck with tho remark of Mr Kirk that since he ha-a been associated with Mr Paterson his opinion of him as a professional man had been raised. Mr Kirk’s experience was identical with my own. “It will bo remembered when. Cr Collins resigned as a protest against the actions of the Engineer, the columns of your journal were left open and I * defended Mr Paterson The result of the correspondence was that Dr Collins or any body else made no charge and this should have conclusively proved that there was little, if anything, against tho Engineer. I consider that if lie had been given a freer hand and if his duties had been confined to the strict limits under which he was engaged, matters would have been different to-day. I knew there was a strong feeling against the Engineer, but it is a significant fact that those councillors whom I consider best fitted to judge, voted for the retention of his services*.

“The key to the position, to my mind, is to bo found in a letter from Mr Mar chant, a few weeks after the departure of Mr Lysnar for London. Mr Marchant complained that he had been forced to form an elaborate drainage scheme in six weeks, which, under ordinary circumstances, would have taken at least six months. Mr Paterson, time after time, had to alter the plans and specifications as being unworkable, and he has been charged with errors for which he was in nowise responsible. “Threq main items on which fault was found with him by those not acquainted with tho true circumstances were (1) the laying down of the sewerage at W-hataupoko before the bridge was ready to carry the pipes, (2) the construction of the Stanley Road septic tank, and (3) the lading down of the tramway before sufficient material was available to complete the lino.. A glance at the records will show that Mr Paterson was opposed to the starting of the Whataupoko drainage and also to the opening of the tramway line. With regard to tho Stanley* Road septic tank, Mr Paterson met witli unexpected difficulties, and any engineer unacquainted as he was to the character of tho district would have made the same mistake. No engineer is infallible and, with the present temper of the people, if an archangel came down from heaven, he would find the position anything but an enviable one. “The voting of Or George Smith came to me as a very great surprise but I regard his opinion of the capabilities of the Engineer as a valuable expression of opinion. It must be satisfactory to Mr Paterson to know that a man of Mr Smith’s practical experience thought so highly of him. “As to Dr Collins,” said Mr Sheridan. “I prefer not to express an opinion, inasmuch as- his-. .indulgence in municipal gymnastics is'becoming notorious.”