WHO IS ENGINEER?

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12376, 9 February 1911, Page 5

WHO IS ENGINEER?

•» SEWERAGE CONSTRUCTION WORK A lengthy discussion regarding severa features ot tbe sewerage inst-allatioi now m progress was initiated at lasl night's meeting of tlie Borough Coun cil by some remarks made by the Mayoi m connection with the Stanley roac •sewer. ■ The Mayor stated that had this trend been opened to the Waikanae it wouk have drained all except Ift 2iu of tht trench, and saved timbering. Instead oi that, pumping had been resorted to, anc outfall pipes had been used. He blamec the Engineer for^ the cost of pumping incurred. - Cr Collins remarked they had beei through the subject last Council meet Cr Pettie: And the action of the En gineer was approved of. Cr Clayton remarked that the constanl pitting at the Engineer was disgraceful The Engineer, questioned by Cr Dar ton and the Mayor, stated he , received no specific instructions regarding Stanlej road. He had done what he had considered best. It was a difficult engineer ing problem. The more they kept the trench open the more likely was there to be subsidence. The total cost ol pumping on the job was £5. The ground above and below the railway line was of \two very different kinds of soil. The Mayor explained that Cr Jackeon had examined the soil, and considered it was the same. Cr Collins remarked that the pitting of- a Councillor against the Engineer was turning the Council's meetings into a bear garden. Cr Jackson explained that he did not * put his opinion against that of the Engineer Or Collins, at the instance, he stated, of Or Clayton, moved a vote of censure on the., Mayor., ' Or Darton, m seconding the resolution, declared he had never done such a thing m his public life before. They had, he {jointed out, engaged an engineer to ook after the interests, of the Borough, and the engineer had ''worn his soulcase out m doing so.*' The Mayor had gone about belittling the Engineer ever • since his (Mr Lysnar's) return. The latter had, he thought, done more to damage the interests of the Borough than any other man: . Instead of assisting the Engineer, the Mayor, had pd opted a policy of pin- . pricks. Surely, if asked, the Engineer Would' put him right on points he (the Mayor) knew nothing about. The Mayor Wlto sowing, seeds of dissatisfaction amongst the Borough staff, which must end disastrously to the Borough, and break' up the system the ..Engineer had built up. fie had' not given the man a chance, and it would' be little wonder if they got bad work. It was the Mayor's dhty to assist the Engineer. Ever since bis return the Mayor had heaped ridicule on the Engineer. This sort of thing must "stop, and the only thing to do was to show the Council did not approve of the Mayor's action. 'I Cr Hepburn was proceeding to state he had inspected the work, when Cr Collins objected. ■Or Collins rose to *a point of order, but was overruled. Cr Clayton threatened '• to ' move the suspension of standing orders, and that the Mayor should vacate* the chair. Cr Hepburn, continued, amidst a fire of interjections from Or Collins. The usual : municipal pleasantries followed, gratuitous remarks being passed regarding each other's common sense. Cr Sheridan did not think the position so serious as to necessitate a vote of censure. He thought they over-esti-mated the importance of the Mayor's words. He moved as an amendment that tho Council express its continued confidence" m the Borough Engineer, and does not desire to hear any more' criticism of him from the Mayor. He did not think they would gain anything by censure. Cr Maynard seconded the amendment. Cr ,Pc % ttie gajd that whilst he agreed with Or Darton, he would hesitate to vote for censure of the Mayor." He did not approve of the Mayor's methods, nor could many of his actions since his return be approved of by the ratepayers., There seemed to be only object, and that was to throw discredit on the Engineer and tbe Council's work m his (the Mayor's) absence. Ho wished- to defend the Council. Councillors and himself : had given a 'great deal of time 'to the work. Since his return there had not been one single act done by the Council ' that had been approved of by the Mayor. Everything bad been wrong- He assured tho Mayor the Council had acted m the best interests of the Borough, and not merely to be antagonis-tic-to his wishes. He regretted that the work had not gone on' with the same enthusiasm as before. It was not a personal matter. He hoped the motion would be withdrawn, as the Mayor would see he had not the sympathy of the Council with him. Cr Jackson explained that he hardly was prepared to go so far as to support the censure. The action taken by the _}ayor, he -considered,, must react against the Borough. Almost, every night the Engineer had been submitted to a cross-examination out of reason. He (Or Jackson) was not an engineer, and he was not aware he had been made one by inspiration on election. The Mayor ha^S^iod -insult to injury by asking his (Cr J_cjfeßon'B) opinion against that of the Engineer. - Cr Harris remarked there had been no stronger critio of experts m the past than Cr. Collins. . A section of the Council had taken the Engineer into their .arms to nurse him. Why did they not leave him alone? Councillors : That is what we want. Or Harris considered it was a personal attack on the Mayor. ' The .Mayor said this was making a mountain out of a mole bill, and was taking the thing off the original track. He considered it his duty, when the.instructions given the constructing engineer were not being carried out, to communicate the matter to the Council. He bad' requested the attendance of the EnSineer, and had found that be should aye opened the drain right . through. Tlie Mayor also complained that the appointment with . the Engineer had not been kept.' : Or Clayton pointed out the Mayor was late, and. it was be who broke the appointment. He did not consider it fair The : Mayor added that be considered his duty first to the ratepayers. If the Cotlncil did not back him up it was for the ratepayers* to -be the judges. Before he returned things, were going wrong. (Laughter.) He would say, however, that things had improved. There had not been so much timbering. Cr" Pettie: Of course, we are m different.country. Be fair. The Mayor : Don't interrupt. Or. Pettie j I spoke the truth. The Mayor : I hope you have not a monopoly of truth. The Mayor added there were many things going wrong. Cr Clayton said he was sorry Crs Sheridan and Pettie had not displayed a little more firmness. There were not many blest, ob the Mayor was with an adamantine hide. It was something tc be proud of,; and he knew he was proud of; it. , The: Mayor had no idea of • dignity, fitting, and proper. He had lowered the dignity of tbe chair to such a state that hardly a man would care to take it on. The Mayor had arrogated to himself the ftiriction of declaring immediately Councilors differed that it wae a factious minority. What he wanted was mere' blocks of wood, to have no opinion. Did his Worship think that his actions were right, or that he would harm the professional reputation of the Engineer? His aotipng .must be held up to approbation and contempt. 'Since the Mayor bad' been brow-beaten into moving his resolution, he had resorted to at endeavor to undermine the Engineer. The Engineer at that meeting had absolutely .disproved the, Mayor's allegations. The Council had, he said, been made a laughing stock of by the Auckland and •Southern press. -Since the --Mayor's return there had been nothing but trouble and dissatisfaction. Was he the 'great ego? — the great "t am?" He hoped the ratepayers would put the Mayor back with a Jot of "dumb dogs." The Mayoi had no sense of fair play. Take the pub

lie meeting at tho theatre, when he had referred to Cr Sheridan and himself, where he had made misstatements to the howling mob. Was that playing the game as a gentleman should? Ever since he had come back his first words were of contempt for Cr Pettie. Was he the Napoleon of finance? Was he the only intelligent person m the British Empire'; He (Cr Clayton) supported the vote ol censure. Or Collins declared he was the staunchest advocate the Mayor had ever had m his absence, but since his return things had been m a state of turmoil. Tlu ratepayers must realise that the longei they submitted tho longer the turmoil must go on. There would come a timt when the Council would ask the Mayor to leave the chair or they would resign. He assured Cr Sheridan the position wasserious. The root of the. evil was tht wilful misrepresentation of the loan proposals to the people, the estimates, foi which had been voted blindly at the. Council table. That evil had grown by a policy of misrepresentation and underestimation, and to-day the Mayor realised that he had to shoulder the responsibility on to tho constructing engineer. The only argument given was that this engineer's work was too good. The Mayor would return with a Council pledged to tho dismissal of the Engi neer, and the Council also would be discharged. Or Harris : I am not ono of them. Proceeding, Cr Collins severely criticis ed Mr Marchant's estimates as being toe low. There was not a single man 01: the staff the Mayor would not dismiss. Cr Darton : He wanted to dismiss the gardener on Monday. (Laughter.) Ci Collins declared the Engineer had beer made liable to insult from the men, and that the Mayor employed spies. Cr Harris : Name them. Or Collins mentioned names. The* Mayor denied having discussed matters with the persons named. Cr Darton affirmed that the , men named bad gone to 'workmen, and asked them questions. The men had complained of it. Tlie Mayor : I have ' never spoken to them at all. Cr Darton : I didn't say you did. I repeat that they have been spying about the works , and asking the men questions until the position has reached such a pitch that no one can 'go and ask a question about the work without ihe men being afraid. Insubordination is rampant. The Mayor : lam not aware of that. I say that I did not send — to spy on the tramway. ■ Or Darton : I don't believe you. Cr Harris : If there is insubordination they ought to have the sack. Cr Darton : It is started at the top oi the tree, and I don't blame them. Cr Pettie remarked that he had been requested by the Engineer to state he had never beard, the man say he (the Engineer) would soon be out of a job. Or Collins : Well, lam prepared to believe my own ears. The men have said to me that is the position yoa are putting tho Engineer m. Or Harris : If you are going to shy mud like that I object. Cr Collins •. I intend to say what 1 have got to say to-night., Proceeding, he affirmed his previous statement, adding that the Engineer's levels had been actually criticised m front of his very men. Cr Clayton : And be asked a 10s a day man. Cr Collins : How can you expect good work, threatening the Engineer m that way? It -is the duty of every Councillor to stand to that man. Tlie speaker further vigorously criticised the attitude he declared was assumed towards the Engineer, and said they were determined they would put a stop to this turmoil. •Cr Pettio said he did not think the passing of the resolution would have any good effect. If the Mayor would not take notice of the censure, it was the duty of the ratepayers to do so. Or Clayton explained that he was voting for the- / amendment, otherwise it would have been lost. On putting tbe resolution/the amendment (expressing continued confidence m the Engineer) was carried by 5 to 1. Crs Collins, Darton, and Harris vacating their chairs! Cr Hepburn did not indicate which way he voted. The Mayor alone voted against the motion.