PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12459, 29 May 1926, Page 4

PUBLIC OPINION

A BEDTIME STORY (To the Editor, “N.Z. Times.”) Sir.—Once upon a time, when the world was youngor by a month or two, a city corporation determined to make a hole through some earth. Everything went well while the money lasted, and until someone said the hole was not in the right place, was far too expensive, and ought never to have been made. That was quite true. Then came a person who said the work was all wrong. A proper plan ought to have been drawn. But every man on the job was an expert and knew better than his neighbour what ought to be done. And the Efficiency Expert, examining the work, said it was out of plumb and would fall down. Then the Chief Workman said: “Have you never heard of the Tower of Pisa? W r ell, it was made crooked by accident, and falling down it was rebuilt again as crooked as ever because the town made millions out of the crooked tower as a show.” Then came more experts and they said the cost is three times more than it ought to have been, and all entirely due to the many and varied views of other experts in tunnel construction. “How was this to be prevented?” asked the Great Panjandrum’s . corporation man. And The Expert answered: “Employ no man on such a job as speaks the same language as his neighbour.” And that was how the Tower of Babel and the •Northland Tunnel were built. , , The Tunnel is now a great snow place l-I SIEyWRIGHT .