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Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 525, 7 January 1878, Page 2

The two engineers of the Dnnediii Harbour Board (Messrs. Tewslev and D. L Simvso?:) have been to Wellington to Cfr.sv.lt Itfr. Bucket?, the Colonial 31:' line Engineer, with reference to what :3 universally known as '•' the half-tide w;;li. : ' As t!:at gentleman was not in the Empire City, the engineers waited npon the Engincer-in-C;:ief, who, is not only celebrated as a railway and drainage engineer, but it appears possesses considerable knowledge of harbour works.

We are led to this' conclusion by the ease with which he arrived at a decision. It will be a -gigantic work, involving the expenditure of tens of thousands; but, notwithstanding this, whilst Mr. Simpson is daily on the spot and is acquainted with every bank and current in the Dunedin harbour and their effects, the Engineer-in-Chief from his office in Wellington, essays to offer an authoritative opinion oil the question—" Should the half-tide wall l>e constructed simultaneously with the work of dredging?" which is entirely the opposite of that given by the Board's Engineer. The Engineer-in-Chief says "No," and Mr. Simpson says "Yes." We bincerely trust that the Dunedin Harbour Board will not treat the Engineer-in-Chief's advice as did the drainage Commissioners of Chri3tchurch, who paid upwards of LI4OO for it, and shelved for ever all his plans and recommendations. The Board is not quite satisfied with Mr. Simpson, because lie cannot affix that charming appendage "Engineer-in-Chief," or something of that kind, to his name. Mr. Simpson's advice may be very sound, but that gentleman lacks the prestige which is I more valuable to the Dunedin Harbour Board than genuine engineering ability. If he had only come to them with a repuputatii/n, having previously been hoisted into a good Government position, it would have saved the Dunedin Harbour Board many a squabble and heaps of money, to say nothing of ensuring the efficiency of the works they are prosecuting, which is now extremely doubtful. There is Mr. Tewsley, Engineer-in-Cliief to the Board, and there is Mr. Simpson ; and a number of others whose egotism leads them to the conclusion that they are as capable of giving an opinion on marine engineering as Mr, Tettsley. It is absolutely preposterous. If they would only leave the whole question in the hands of Mr. Tewsley, he would fix it up for them once and for all. If anyone is so idiotic as to have the smallest doubt of his ability to do this, let them read that gentleman's speeches, which, we understand, are to be reproduced in the "Engineer," together with a full-length : portrait of this originator of a new system of marine engineering, Jf there is ever any doubt is to the modus operandi in connection with the works, everybody rushes to Mr. Tewsley ; and it seems very absurd to go to Wellington to submit the matter to Mr. Blackett or Mr. Cakhutheiis when the Board possesses such local talent. They have the advic • of the Engineer-in-Chief, and the query now is—"What will they do with it?" They can scarcely both construct the wall simultaneously with the dredging and let it alone, unless Mr. Tewsley can see some way out of the difficulty ; and yet to do only the one or the other would most assuredly give offence to Mr. Simpson or the Colonial Engineer-in-Chief. We would not be surprised if several weeks were wasted in useless discussion, concluding with the acceptation of Mr. Simpson's recommendation.