CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 29 June 1911, Page 7

CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS.

Sir.—l was pleased to see by the Press that the matter of appointing a gas engineer is .referred to a special meeting of the City Council. lam in sympathy with those Councillors who desire to get a bigger profit from the gasworks; but whether this will be obtained by appointing an expert is open to question.. At any rate, the matter could stand oyer for a few months, and in the meantime let a small committee, with' the present manager, take the gasworks in hand and do their best for the City. At the present time we cannot afford two engineers, and to appoint a gas engineer in preference to a. City Survevor would be unwise. The drainage is not quite a. success and is not completed, and should be in charge of a professional man. Then there is the repairing of the dani, also water and gas reticulation coming on. In fact. a. capable engineer just now would be the right man in the right place. I trust the City Council will decide to appoint an engineer for the City, and that they will mate the salary sufficient to induce good men to apply. It is ■absurd to expect to get a good man at £350 a year. An inferior man mav s-poil work and waste our money, whilst a good man would save the amount of his salary on the first work of any importance. I trust that Councillors will not think I am interfering in # their business, but accept this in the spirit in which it is written. I know something of Council work, and have had a little to do> with City Engineers, and believe I know what I am writing about. I am etc.. ALERT. June 28, 1911.