GRANTED LEAVE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20850, 5 October 1937, Page 6

GRANTED LEAVE

COUNTY ENGINEER RESIGNS SUCCESSOR TO LIVE AT GERALDINE Matters arising from the resignation of the County engineer, Mr C. E. Bremner, who has given three r* inths’ notice to terminate his engagement, were considered at the monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council yesterday. It was unanimously decided on the motion of the chairman (Mr K. Mackenzie) and Cr. F. R. Flatman, that Mr Bremner be given three months’ leave on full pay as from December 6, and that a suitable letter be sent to Mr Bremner in appreciation of his 18 years’ service with the Council. The Council also decided that the new engineer should have his office at Geraldine instead of at Temuka as in the past. The chairman expressed the opmion that the Council could carry on quite satisfactorily without an engineer until they knew what effect the local body Amalgamation Bill would have. If the Bill went through the House the Council could perhaps carry on until the end of the financial year on March 31 next. If the Bill were carried they would then know what effect the ’amalgamation proposals w’ould have -n South Canterbury. Cr. F. R. Flatman said that on ‘“'is occasion he did not agree with the : chairman, but thought that applical tions for an engineer should be called at once. After a short discussion it was decided, on the motion of Crs. F. R. Flatman and J. Acland, that applications be called for the position of County engineer at a salary of £5OO per an..um, applications to close on October 28. Location of Office In referring to the engineer’s office, which was at present at Temuka, the chairman said that it would be muca more efficient and convenient it the engineer and the County elerk’s offices were both under one roof. The osition had been different 20 years ago when the old road boards had been amalagamated. With the volume of work nowadays it was absolutely essential that both officers should be i~ the one town. To-day there were so many vouchers to be filled in, and such a mass of statistics and returns for t’ze Highways Board and so on, that he felt it would be in the interests of the ratepayers generally that the engineer and the County clerk should be domiciled in the same town. There would be less expense in administration, and the work would be done with greater cooperation and efficiency. Crs. T. Lyon and R. Brodie moved that in future the office of the County engineer be in Geraldine. Cr. A. Bisdee: I am going to vote against that. I think that the ideal spot for the engineer is at Temuk-i. We have a big river protection work problem down there, and more rivers are central to the Temuka area. I think that the new engineer, who will probably be a young man with a highpowered car, could easily keep in touch with the Geraldine office. I have no doubt that these little difficulties cculd ; be overcome by more regular visits to the County clerk, and I am of pinion that the County engineer should live at Temuka. * Dual Office Unworkable The County clerk (Mr A. A. Readdie) : There were several disadvantages under the present arrangement of the two offices in separate towns. The Main Highways Board, the Public Works Department and other •departments send circulars to Mr Bremner and they are also obliged to send them to me at the head office. Officers of the Audit Department, when doing the audits have complained strongly at the absence of the engineer’s contract book which, with his records, was at Temuka. The contract book had been a fetish of the auditors for years, and they were strongly opposed to the twooffice idea. Mr Readdie added that the dual office was positively unworkable. Members of the Council, with the exception of the chairman, had no Idea what the clerk had had to contend with for years, as the engineer had his own records and maps, and frequent telephoning was necessary between Geraldine and Temuka to secure informi'/n in order to answer inquiries. Cr. R. Brodie: I do not think we :.re letting the Temuka ratepayers down. We fully appreciate their position from the point of view of river protection, and they will get adequate treatment as In the past. If the new engineer has a fast car he can easily run down to Temuka when required. We know perfectly well that it is not economical to have the officers in separate towns. Cr. C. Ley: Geraldine is practically the centre of the County area, and is the most workable position of ‘he whole lot. That is my idea; we should go on and have the engineer’s office situated in Geraldine. The motion was carried, Cr. Bisdee requesting that his vote be recorded against it.