UNJUSTIFIED ATTACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20086, 25 October 1928, Page 17

UNJUSTIFIED ATTACK.

ASSISTANT city engineer. ' SIFTING MURRAY CHARGES. COMPLETION OF THE INQUIRY. "A totally mi justified attack lias been launched against, tiio assistant, city engineer," declared tho city solicitor, Mr. j. Stanton, after tho final item in tho charges mado by Mr. W. IT. Murray, a member of tho City Council, had open dealt with bv the special investigating committed of tho council yesterday. It had been alleged that council material had been wrongfully delivered at, tho private residence of Mr. James Tyler, tho assistant engineer. Fortified with receipts, time-sheets and his private ledger, Mr. Tyler was able to show that, all materials used at his property had been paid for. Mr. Tyler denied that kerbs from any city street or barrels of bitumen belonging to the council were delivered to him. lb' ' l; id purchased 500 stone sots from the tramways department at, no concession in price. It was true that men, who had been, and were now, employed by tho council had been engaged by him in connection with work at his property, but tho ternn of engagement were not contemporaneous. "Mr. Tyler has been grossly maligned," gaid Mr. E J. I'helan, and in that view other members of tho committee unanimously agreed. It was decided to make Mr. Tyler's complete exoneration a special point in tho findings. Officer's Interest in Quarry. Another council officer, Air. John Mathieson, overseer of works, was involved in another allegation in tho order cf reference. The question had to do with a suggestion that he was interested in a stone quarry which supplied material to tho council. In a statement, Mr. Mathieson said certain sections had been taken out in tho joint names of himself and another 'party, the latter paying the purchase money. The sections were, sold under agreement a year ago, and he and the other person were now interested only as unpaid vendors. When a previous deal fell through in 1926, Mr. Mathieson said he saw there was good stone for kerbs and pitchers in the sections, and he advised tho owner to put men on to cut some, pending the sale of tho sections. No stone was ever sold direct to tho City Council, and no money •was ever received from the council. Cheques from the contractors tp whom the materials were sold were not received by him. His interest in the land was only as trustee. Ho had sometimes by arrangement paid tho men their wages, but, that was done mostly 111 his own time or, if sometimes in ordinary hours, it was when his council work took him to other quarries in tho vicinity. He considered he was entitled to a certain discretion, as he was not paid by the actual hour and he worked beyond the recognised time. tie had never bought kerbs and pitchers privately while paid hv the council. "A Little Bit Puzzling." Mr. Mathieson later attended the meeting, and was questioned. Tho chairman, Mr. J. Dempsey :--Some of tho witnesses said you were in the habit of buying stones from Austrian cutters and disposing of them. Mr Mathieson: Well, they have got to prove it. I never bought a stone from them in rav life. It seems "an extraordinary statement lor those men to havj made. A lot of e.xtiaordinary statements have been made in the evidence. lam not going to be blamed for things I did not do. But one man said you paid him with your own cheque.—l have never had a cheque book. Have you ever acted as agent lor stonecutters? —Never. "Well, it is a little bit puzzling, commented tho chairman. "If you can prove I sold a stone to tne City Council T will give £IOO to the unemployed," declared Mr. Mathieson m tho course of further interrogation. " Always on tho Job." Referring to a suggestion that Mr. Mathieson spent council time in private ■work, the city engineer, Mr. W E. Bush, naid he had always found Mr. Mathieson punctual in his work and "on the job whenever there was occasion to ask lor books will bo inspected before the committee comes to a decision at this item of the charges. Reporting on the allegation that there had been a deficiency in the quantity and , quality of goods delivered, by contiactoiS to the council, tho city engineer said all gangers and district foremen had 111etructions to see that the proper quality nnd measurement were obtained. Occasionally tickets for kerbs and pitchers had been signed for "more or less because measurements had not then been made, and a return was furnished afterwards. -I"I am satisfied that, on tho whole, the council has received full measurement for what has been signed and paid for, added Mr. Bush. A further report gave the measurements of loads on certain lorries, showing that tho loads were fully up to the quantities signed for. Recommendations «n tho matter will bo framed later. Council Men's Private Work. Tl.o next allegiation dealt with was that employees of tho council had cut scrub for a private employer. Mr. James Scott, a ganger, stated 110 and two other Tnen had done so in two instances, but not in council time. The work had been done after "knocking off" time in the afternoon and on Saturday afternoons. Mr. C. C. Duncan and Mr. L. A. Church, tho two other men concerned, (Corroborated Mr. Scott's story. "Pale of material to contractors afterwards used on council's works," was the next, point investigated. Mr. Bush said waste had been ordered from Messrs. Morgan and Dochnrty, it not being known that the Tramways Department had metal waste to sell. The price paid Was tho current one. It was further explained that Morgan and Docliortv paid the Tramways Department 7s 3d a yard for tho material and had sold it to the Works Department for lis 6d delivered, which meant that tho firm made 4s cd a yard, including the cartage. Members agreed there, would have been little difference, in price whichever way the material was purchased, but it was Suggested there might bo more co-ordina-tion between departments by advice being given to tho Purchasing Department whenever material likely to be useful in another department, was available. Dismissal 0! a Workman. Investigating a case in which a workman was alleged to have been victimised by being wrongfully Ilisulisse.fl the committee was informed by Mr. Bush that the man was disrnjssed on his instructions after Mr. Tyler had reported the insolent attitude the' man had adopted. If council workmen were allowed to treat the officers disrespectfully all control and discipline would be impaired. "I have tried to help the man and not to hinder him,'' said Mr. Tyler. Hie explanation was regarded as satisfactory. The committee had earlier in tho day jvisited the Grafton bitumen depot, the Stone Jug quarry and Big Muddy Creok. From an inspection at the last-named place Mr. Dernpsoy said it was clear the allegation that a valuable wire rope had lioon allowed to deteriorate was "a gross exaggeration." It was plain tho rope had iheen properly stowed. All the points in tho order of reference having been dealt with tho cliair- | inaii was authorised to draft a report 011 L; 4ho investigation for submission to tho !■>, Committee at a further meeting..