ROAD BOARD ENGINEERING.

Southland Times, Issue 2142, 28 June 1875, Page 2

ROAD BOARD ENGINEERING.

(TO THE EDITOR 0* THE TIMES.) SIB, — Having been favored this morning with a perusal of your Weekly of the 19th inst., I therein observe that Mr Dawson (Engineer to the Makarewa Road Board), feels himself not to be in exactly the exalted position his very amiable ambition would ■wish to place him. I must conftss, Sir, lam somewhat taken by Burpriia at the dashing manner in which the Engineer hag thought fit to submit hi» application for the eiteniion of power, as if h« intended to carry all before him by a coup de main. I imagine, however, that the Road Board will possibly see fit to scarcely permit the extension so cavalierly applied for ; end furthermore, it seoms quite apparent to me that the style of language adopted by the Engineer, in his recent correspondence, to the Koad Board, ii not woll calculatod to warrant the conclusion that that gentleman is one altogether fit to be entrusted with any degree of power. However, perhaps, it might be wrong in the Board to attempt to thwart the very modest aspirations of one whose natural eloquence and discreet judgment have betrayed him into dealing in such elegant phrasos and choice expletives, as " Treat the claim with the contempt it merits," " perverse contractors." And now, Sir, that parcular style of language might have been adopted, and practised for aught I know to the contrary — in official correspondence to the various Road Boards and other similar beneficial institutions — in the antediluvian period, but I consider that in the present refined age such rare delicacies and elegant compliments, to say the l<saet, smack most prodigiously of swaggering, are entirely oat of place, wrongfully applied, and trite in the extreme. I believe, Sir, the public will sooner or later be in a better position to judge correctly whether it is through " perversity" on the part of contractors, or the direot neglect of duty of others, that some of the public works of Southland are not brought to a succesiful completion. Trusting, Sir, you will allow me apace in [ your valuable columns for the insertion of the | above. — I am, 4c, Mollusca, I Lime Hills, 23rd June.