A LIVELY MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 10

A LIVELY MEETING.

engineer and council.

GRIEVANCE OF DEPUTATION.

BRIDGES IN PIAKO COUNTY.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] TE AROHA. Monday.

Lively and warm discussion took place at a meeting of the Piako County Council to-day The first sign of trouble rose when Mr. Kennedy described as absolutely absurd proposals to nominate a number of highways in each riding as connty roads

After half an honr's warm debating of this point friction occurred with a deputation consisting of Messrs. Mackay, Sweney and Polsen The deputation stated that Bailey Road Bridge was unsafe for traffic, and requested' the council to report as to whether the ratepayers had "received a value of 20s in tho pound." Tho deputation also made a general drastic allegation of inefficient workmanship on the bridge, failure to lift a Government subsidy, and claimed that tho bridge should have been built in concrete.

The engineer, Mr B. H. Horner, after quoting figures, state.d that the allegations of inefficiency wore highly exaggerated and utterly unfounded. He asked the deputation to believe that tho position of a county engineer was often difficult. He said he was always being told to cut the cost of certain works. When, against his better judgment, he presented a plan for® a cheap bridge, he was even then not infrequently asked why he could not do it for half the cost. Members' Motor-cars.

This statement aroused the ire of somo members of the council, which caused the engineer to remark:—"You run your cars at •& cost of anything up to £2OO a year over tho county roads and bridges, at all times of the day and night, and then come along full of complaints, begrudging your engineer tho miserable few pounds you pay him." V Mr. Walters: Keep to the bridge.

In a maze and din of heated cross-talk that followed, the engineer suggested that the plan of the bridge be tested by any reputable engineering firm. The Chairman, Mr. W. R. Lowry: Who i 3 going to pay for the test? A Voico: Let these armchair engineers pay 15 guineas for it.

Mr. Walters: Will the engineer say the bridge will carry 20 tons ?

Mr. Horner: Yes,

Later Mr. Horner said: What is the nse of the deputation talking technicalities it does not understand ? It has been blazing away with all sorts of allegations, but it forgets that an engineer has to bow and scrape to his council to get money to keep the roads and bridges in order.

The Chairman: Tut, tut. • Unfairness Alleged.

Mr. Polsen said the engineer was not giving the settlers a "fair go." The Chairman: He is prepared to stand 20 tons on the bridge, you to pay if thti test is successful.

Mr Walters: That is not the same a,a running 15 tons over ifc at 15 miles an hour.

The Chairman: It is outrageous for the deputation to allege that the ratepayers have not had value for money. We have definite proof that the bridge was builtfaithfully to plans, providing for a 12-ton bridge. To-day, we have limited lorry loads to six tons, : which gives further protection to all concerned. / Mr. Sweney: We want the Public Works Department to say so. The Chairman: It would not entertain such an idea. ' •

Mr. Mackay: I insist that dn . the ground of public safety the Public Works Department could not refuse a petition of ratepayers to test the bridge. I am told that a concrete bridge can be built for £ls per lineal foot. Voices: Where did you get that idea, ? Mr. MacKay: I read or heard of it. A Member: You are wasting your time. Bridge to be Tested.

After further talk of this nature the luncheon _ adjournment was agreed to. The chairman suggested that members find a way of soothing' their minds in the interval.

Early on resumption, Messrs. Walters and .Kennedy developed another discussion by demanding to know why the engineer's figure for the cost of the bridge was £350, and the clerk's £440. They said they wanted to know the reason for the disparity. It was decided to test the bridge with a load of 15 tons, in the presence of members. and to depute the clerk to report on the difference in the estimated costs. After another argument relating to a 5 per cent, rebate on promptly paid rates, Mr. Kennedy called on the engineer to prove his statement that piles taken from the Wairakau Bridge had been condemned by the Public Works Department. He aileged that the riding which he represented had been charged £219 for bridge piles, accountable to Mr. McGill's riding. The Chairman: You must not refer in that way to an absent member. "Seven Talking At Once."

Mr. Kennedy: Will the engineer say what he meant by his remark that ''Mr. Kennedy knew why he asked the question ?"

Mr. Horner concluded his reply with the words: "It was my opinion that Mr. Kennedy was simply out to raise trouble between myself and a former engineer. Mr. Kennedy: Did the Publifc Works Department condemn the Wairakau piles ? I mentioned this fact this morning, Mr. Chairman, but as there were seven men talking at once perhaps you did not hear me.

The Engineer: The piles were not np to the departmental standard. The Chairman: Perhaps I Mr. Kennedy: There is no need for you to answer fdr the engineer. Wo pay him £SOO a year and ho should be competent to answer the question for himself. i

The matter was eventually talked out. The chairman vacated his seat and, after he had answered several more questions from the doorway, the meeting terminated.