CIVIL ENGINEERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 3

CIVIL ENGINEERS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. CHRISTCHURCH, May 10. The Society of Civil Engineers held its annual conference here to-day. There were about 50 delegates from all parts of the dominion. The following officers were elected: — President, Mr R. W. Holmes; vice-presi-dent, Mr J. Blair Mason; members of council Messrs Kennedy, Dobson, Basham, and Williams. The annual report of the council stated (hat on March 31 there were 130 members, 37 associates, and five students; —total, 172. The statement, of accounts was adopted after a short discussion, in the course of which Mr T. R. Burt (Wellington) suggested following the practice of the Institute of Engineers and admitting to membership teachers of engineering. The President said the council had decided to submit to a special general meeting a rule on the subject. The President read a letter from Mr H. F. Toogood which stated that the Lake Takapuna Board of Control had requisitioned the Government for the services of an engineer to report on the water system The writer expressed the opinion that the society should protest against local- bodies sponging on Government engineers' services. The President said that the permanent officers of the Government service had quite sufficient to do to carry out their ordinary duties without acting as engineers to local bodies. In addition, local bodies were quite able to pay for engineering services, and should support ennineers in private practice. Mr J. A. Menzies (Clyde) said the county councils in Otago employed engineers at £IBO per annum, and got the Government to supply plans. If the county councils employed fully-qualified men it would mean the employment of engineers at £3OO or £4OO. Mr S. Jickell (Palmerston North) moved to the effect that the council take the matter into consideration with a view to taking the steps considered necessary for the protection of the interests of engineers in private practice. The President said the point raised by Mr Menzies would have been dealt with completely if the Government had been induced to pass a Bill last year requiring local authorities to employ properly-qualified engineers when public money was spent on any works. The motion was agreed to. It was decided to hold the next annual meeting in Wellington. On the motion of the President it was decided to forward letters of condolence to the relatives of the following, who had been killed in action: —Mesrss A. G. Wilier, S. S. Boyle, and H. Newton ; also to Mr James Burnett, whose third son had been killed in action. The President in his address said the enormous cost of the war was monopolising capital which in other circumstances would be devoted to public works. Engineers and architects had felt the effects of the war to a marked degree, chiefly through a shortage of capital and material. The engineers in New Zealand had responded°nobly to the call of Empire, and steps had been taken to prepare a roll of those who had joined the forces. The special Tunnelling Corps was officered entirely by civil engineers with the exception of the major in command and the medical officer. He referred to the engineers who had fallen, and expressed re gret that so many fully-trained engineers had enlisted as privates instead of _ being utilised as reinforcements to the engineers. Reference was made to the necessity for legislation providing that only qualified engineers should be employed in connection with works undertaken by public bodies. He outlined a scheme of super animation for employees of local bodies. Mr H. H. Sharp read a paper on " Erosion of Sea Beach fronting the town of Hokitika and the Remedial Measures Adopted." The President made some interesting observations on steel bridges. In conclusion, he said there was no necessity to go outside New Zealand for steel bridges. We had men here able to meet requirements in a manner of which any nation might be proud. CHRISTCHURCH, May 11. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers was resumed today. A paper on " Bock _ Drills " was read bv Mr Alex. Dinnic, resident engineer at tho Arthur's Pass tunnel, in which he described tho drills in use in constructing the Arthur's Pass tunnel. An interesting discussion of a technical character ensued, and Mr Dinnic was thanked for his valuable paper. Mr A. W. Newton read a paper on " A Cheap and Simple Method of Metalling Roads." He dealt with road metalling hi the Hutt Valley, where boulders were collected in the river and crushed by a portable plant in tho vicinity, the road being; metalled at a cost of less than 3s_ a yard. The road gave satisfaction to motorists. An interesting discussion ensued, in the course of which members gnvo their experiences in road-making in different parte of tho dominion. In the afternoon the delegates visited tho Drainage Board's farm and inspected the works and tho Addington Work»hons. They ware also showni over the Engineering:

School at Canterbury College. Professor Scott said he could not show them as much as he -would like to havo done, as the senior students, about 80 is all, had left in a body for the front. The conference concluded ten night.