CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 1 June 1914, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

BOROUGH AFFAIRS

. To the Editor. . ,",~; Sir,—Your correspondent Mr Fred - Vv. Clare has evidently given Mr F. S. Canning the coup de grace as that gentleman has not replied to the diatribe appearing over Mr Clare's signature in your issue of May 26th. By the way, who is Mr Clare? A close search tails to reveal his name on either the burgesses' or electoral roll. No one knows him or of him. Would it be "supposititious bunkum" on my part if 1 said that Fred W. Clare was a fictitious name assumed by someone behind the scenes, and who is interested in hoodwinking the ratepayers? Now, as to the question of certified engineers. Mr Cameron is a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers of New Zealand, and has had over 20 years' practical experience in . Australia and New Zealand. AVhat other qualifications do the Council or Mr Fred W. Clare want? Do they ex- ■ pect to get a Brunei or , a Sir John . Coode, a Sir Alex Bennie or Sir Frederick Pearson? Perhaps as the Panama Canal is now completed they might get a man from there. I maintain, Sir, that practical experience is of more value to the borough than the whole of the alphabet strung after a man's name. Now, with regard to the happy time to which Mr Fred W. Clare refers, when we had a foreman at £200 per annum and a staff of eight men, can anyone truthfully say that ■ things were satisfactory then. I seem to recollect something about one of the streets which the: foreman was , metalling, and as the Council did not > think the job was being done satisfac- V torily, a councillor Was appointed to" . supervise the work. With what re- " suit? A street that was almost im- ' passable for months. Another point : with regard to the £200 per year man with eight men, is it not a fact' that the borough was nearly at a standstill for a co\iple of years or so prior to Mr Cameron's advent, and what is the position now. In less than three years building permits for over £100,000 , worth of buildings have been issued, the plans for which the engineer has had to pass; also he has had to connect up water and drainage. This part «f the work alone would have kept a less efficient man going at top with- i out any other work. Again, is itxnot a fact that. Mr Cameron put in a great deal of time m assisting to frame the borough. • buildine; by-laws, and in this connection did such pood work that our present. Mayor thanked him over the Council table for the time and valuable experience which he ,had given. While on this subject I would point out that the fees collected under the' building by-laws have been sufficient to pay the salary of the Inspector of Nuisances. With, regard to the road roller and other plant to which.' Mr ' Fred W. Clare takes exception, this - has only, quite recently been procured; ' and has,'l think, been U6ed to the best advantage since its 'arrival. But) Mr Fred W. Clare and many other ' street corner engineers seem to think that we should have a sort of modern Aladdin for engineer, who will just rub the lamp, and hey presto the work is done without either trouble or expense. Now as to some of the work which Mr Cameron has carried out. work which I maintain has been well done and for which he deserves .very great credit. High street, Union street. Princes street, and Glover road have been tarviated, besides numerous' ■ footpaths, which before were only tar and sand; the southern end of Victoria street has been drained, a work' which was declared to be impossible: iby some of the Council experts. Victoria and . Collins streets are ' now a" treat to drive over, Cameron and' Gladstone streets are now passable.; What were they like three years aeo? • Mr Fred W. Clare's statement that the streets and paths were as good or' better three years ago than they v are now can only be characterised (to o,uote a recent speaker in .HaweraV as the "apotheosis of bally bunkum." Coming now to that bone or conten- , tion, the water towar, I do>not think Mr Fred W. Clare or your other correspondent, Mr J. W. Tong, are (to ' put it mildly) quite seized of the facts. - Mr dare says it cost the ratepayers between £1300 and £1600 more than the estimate. Mr Tong says the estimate was £2261 7s 3d, and the final cost was £4510, so if Mr Tone is correct in'his figures, Mr Fred W. Clare has erred on the side of mercy to the tune of £650 or more. I think, sir, that neither of them is quite right. The estimate was £3350 for a plain concrete structure calling for 700. yards of concrete. This estimate inchxled pumps, etc., and fire mains. Tho gross cost was £4500, included in which cost are fees to Messrs Dobson, Suggate, and Cameron; also extras which include^ two extra floors, roofing lookout, stiffening beams, steps and piers at base, and a lot of ornamentation" which added nearly 200 yards of concrete costing £700 to the total. The1 concrete has cost under £3 10s per. yard. A local builder's estimate was £4,105,' and aa architect of some standing estimated, it at £5 per yard. In» the face of these figures I think it can1 be claimed that Mr Cameron has paved, the borough many hundreds of pounds, as he has built an. edifice of which he and the ratepayers can be justly proud, at (everything considered) a minimum >' of cost. lam sure that those who . witnessed the trial were quite satisfied as to the efficiency of the tower. ~ In regard to the reason of the en- -• gmeer's resignation, Mr Fred W: Clare must know, if he knows anything, that,. the increase of salary had really nothing to do with the matter, as before theMayoral election it was common talk" that the CkmnciL«mtended to make it,, hot for the engineer; and if this was ' the case, I think they have succeeded uncommonly well. In conclusion, sir, I may, say that ' if a referendum of the ratepayers could be taken as to whether the engineer or some of the amateurs on the Council should stand down, I am confident it would not be the engineer. Thank- % ing you in anticipation. RATEPAYER.