WELLINGTON'S HARBOUR ENGINEER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11975, 26 May 1902, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S HARBOUR ENGINEER.

THE INCREASED SALARY.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. The question of affixing the seal of the Harbour Board to the agreement with Mr. Ferguson for the increase of his salary to £1750 per annum caused some animated discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Board.

Mr. Fisher protested that the decision had been come to irregularly, and that the Board was not justified in incurring the additional expenditure.

Mr. Caselberg asked for the reasons which had actuated the Board in granting the increase in salary.

The Chairman said directly Mr. Ferguson had received a certain offer he had placed the facts before him (Mr. Beauchamp). The offer was in effect that Mr. Ferguson was to receive £2000 per annum, and was to have the right of consultation, and also to join the boards of public companies, his salary being guaranteed by a bank for a term of years. At the Board's meeting a day or two afterwards he (Mr. Beauchamp) suggested that they should make an attempt to retain Mr. Ferguson's services, with the result already known. In proof of the bona fides of the offer, he read a letter from Messrs. Findlay and Dalziell, solicitors, through whom (acting for a principal), the offer had been made to Mr. Ferguson.

Mr. Fisher: But who were the principals. The Chairman: I am not at liberty to disclose the name.

Mr. Fisher: Then there is no such offer? Mr. Caselberg: I am quite satisfied with your explanation. Mr. Beauchamp said further that that was not the first offer Mr. Ferguson had received since he had been in the Board's employ. A few months ago he had been offered £2000 to go to Australia, but, having just returned from a mission on behalf of the Board to England, from which he had derived, a considerable amount of pleasure as well as profit, he aid not feel justified in severing his connects with the Board. There was no reason why Mr. Ferguson should not now leave the Board and earn £3000 ae »- n he (Mr Beauchamp) were the Board's engineer, he would not subject himself to the treatment he was receiving from some people, when he could be independent and earn £3000 a year as easily as "kiss my hand;" but with the professional mind there was sometimes such a thing as sentiment, and it was a fact that Mr Ferguson was anxious before leaving the boards service to complete the works with which he had been associated from the commencement. It might seem that he was acting as counsel for Mr. Ferguson. Mr. Fisher: Ha! Ha! That's just what i. was thinking. Mr Beauchamp said that ever since he hau been brought into contact with their engineer' he had realised his conspicuous ability, and he was quite sure that it would have been nothing less than a calamity to lose his sendees at this juncture, when so many works of an important character were about to be undertaken. Mr. Ferguson was not only an engineer, he had genius for organisation, and his services as a secretary were in themselves worth more than could be computed. Mr Fisher: I wonder how England and America have got on without him. Ihe Chairman sa id iu England and America they paid salarioo , «, " u , •,., ,it •' "7, u Katies commensurate wtn abdity ft was quite a common evnil?o e oo a **** & get £500 ° and •■* V - ? a year - The re was hardly an intelligent man m the city who did not agree with what the Board had done. Ihe motion to affix the seal to the agreement was carried, Mr. Fisher alone dissenting.