A CARELESS BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2497, 11 September 1897, Page 4

A CARELESS BOARD.

The Otago Daily Times has drawn the attention of the public to the haphazard, happy-go-lucky manner in which the Otago Education Board is in the habit of conducting its business. The Board is building new offices, and members approved of plans for that purpose which had been laid before them by the architect. These plans provided that the new building should have a front door from Crawford street. The architect, upon reconsideration of the plans, or recurring to an original opinion, it does not matter which, thought the door would be better from Jetty street, and without consulting the Board proceeded to alter them forthwith. The alterations were discovered —rather after the haphazard fashion in which the Board delights. The architect was brought to task over it. He explained that he acted under the instructions of the secretary. This the secretary flatly denied, and produced corroborative evidence of a satisfactory kind. So did the architect. The Board after two lengthy sittings could not decide which of their officers spoke the truth. Neither can anybody else. The whole affair would be ludicrous enough were it not that the evidence reveals an extraordinary degree of incapacity and carelessness in the conduct of its business by a Board to which is entrusted the local administration of one of the most important departments of the public service. The following is given as a sample of the evidence of the chairman :— " With reference to the alteration of the plans, he happened to be passing the building, and he looked in and saw the alteration. He thought it very remarkable, and came up to the office, and had a conversation with Mr Somerville and asked him how it occurred. Mr Somerville said Mr Fraser came in and suggested an alteration ; then Mr Melville suggested an alteration ; then Mr Park suggested something else. Then Mr Pryde suggested an alteration. On that occasion Mr Somerville said he sent Mr Park to ask Mr Pryde to come in and see what he thought of the proposed alterations. He understood him to say that the Crawford street plan had some alterations in pencil sketched upon it. Mr Somerville explained how the matter occurred."