DUNEDIN DRAINAGE BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12450, 5 September 1902, Page 2

DUNEDIN DRAINAGE BOARD.

A special meeting of the Dunedin Drain-i age Board was held yesterday afternoon,; present—Dr Brown (chairman), Messrs Glendining, Moloney, Simpson, Scott, Annand, and Hancock. The purpose of the- meeting as set out in a circular was to consider tlie appointment of a working inspector, as suggested by 'the board's engineer. The Chairman said the responsibility 6£ calling the meeting dovolved upon him. Hβ found that Mr. Andereon wished to lay some suggestions before tho board with regard to the question of a- working inspector. As Mr Anderson wns going to Australia very shortly, he thought it best for the board to meet and discuss the point. Since then. Mr Anderson had supplied the board with an expression of his views in a circular artel there was one portion, of it in to , which members might have different opinions, and, apart from this, the 'remainder of the circular merited discussion. He might say at once that bo long as he> was a member of the board he would up; hold the retaining of responsibility in their own hands in the making of all appoint-' ments; failing to do so they would ho failing; in a public duty, though naturally they, should consider -the advice of their engineer" to a large, extent. ■''■ The circular from the engineer, referred to above, was handed to members of the board, but .not put into the hands of the reporters. Mr Simpson (chairman of the Works Committee) said that after a committee meeting Mr Anderson had asked if something-, were not informal. Ho (Mr Simpson) had re-'. plied that if the Works Committee had erred it was quite willing to. make amends. Tb,e committee aaid the engineer always worked amicably, but, as the chairman had said; there was one point the members felt very , strongly upon, and that was the appoint-; meat of oflicoi-s. Tho board did not. wig. hV to adhere to very hard and fast rules. For instance, the Harbour Board and City Council carried out their business differently, and it might be as well if the board followed in their footsteps. The members of the board had no wish to take anything; out of the hands of the engineer he was entitled to do. Then another point .had cropped up, whioh he had told Mr Anderson would be brought up at the first meeting of the board, and that, was thowi'sdom Of Mr Anderson's taking work outside his duties in the board's employ in any capacity. There had been no;ill-feeling about it; the matter had been merely mentioned as a question between the engineer and .the l>oard. He (Mr Simpson) and the Works Co'mmittee had thought that Mr Anderson had been appointed to bn the board's ser-. vant wholly and solely. Mr Anderson, how-; ever, had seemed to think somewhat differently. He (Mr Simpson) had asked -Mr Mirams for the letter making- the appoint* ment of the engineer, but it could aipt then , be produced in; a. moment's notice. The Works Committee ,wa« not responsible for , tho calling of the applications for the position of works inspector. It had, as a committee, suggested. that an inspector should be appointed to relieve the engineer of.the smaller and less important duties, so as to enable him to devote his time to, the more important ones, but it had not suggested that the. engineer should immediately, or at a.iiy time, call'applioai'-' tions for the position. The position, how--ever, had been 'advertised in the newspapers and ' applications invited. Whether tho board should proceed to'appoint a man. or not was a question to lie decided by the board. It was necessary that works should be carried out. He did not wish to force, the situation in any way,. but the board re* quired to carry out works and justify its appointment. , . The Chairman, in reply to a remark from Mr Annand, said Mr Anderson had applied to the board for' leave to undertake the special duty for the City Council, and leave had been granted. Mr Simpson said the committee had Hot been inclined to give any judgment in the. matter at all, but simply desired to lay the matter before the board. ' Mr Hancock said it would meet the case if the appointment was suspended-' till MiAnderson's return from Melbourne. That and any other busine-is could bo discussed then at another meeting. , Mr , Simpson moved that the filling of the appointment of a works inspector ho delayed till Mr Anderson'e retimi from. Australia. . ,- Mr Glendining seconded the motion, and after a little further -discussion this was carried. Mr Annand said that Mr Anderson.had better know what the management of the board was in a matter of this kind, and get definite instructions from the board'. Mr Anderson had understood on hie appointment that he was to have the power to tjike outside work, and also to make the appointments under his charge.

The Chairman said the suggestion, which was a very important one, would have to oome up o.t the nest ordinary meeting. That would tako place- before Mr Anderson, left, and the matter could come up then. The meeting then closed.