THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1879.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3124, 21 February 1879, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1879.

It has been remarked by one who possessed more than a superficial knowledge of men and things, that he never met a man who did not tbink himself fully competent to drive a four in hand or edit a newspaper; and, he might have added, do many more things besides with, out any previous training for the work. This exalted estimate of their own powers is most often exhibited by members of local governing bodies, who too frequently show a disposition to criticise the work of professional men instead of confining themselves to their own proper duties. Our Auckland neighbors are now suffering from the effects of this tinkering with the work of experts. Their water supply, the most expensive work yet undertaken by the City Corporation, is a frequent source of complaint, being full of impurities and scarcely fit for domestic purposes. The water in the springs is said to be of excellent -quality, but it is allowed to accumulate in a pond, whence it is pumped to supply the city, after being thoroughly impregnated with the worst forms of corrupt matter. It is stated that all this is due to an alteration by the Council of the Engineer's (Mr Errington) plans, which, as originally designed, placed the pumping machinery close to the source of the supply. No reason appears to have been given for this interference, but the citizens who have now to pay for the water have also to put up with it as they get it—impure and unfit for drinking. The other great mistake perpetrated* by a local body' in Auckland was in the construction of the dock; and in that instance the representations of J the Engineer (who was also Engineer for the City waterworks) were disregarded in favor of the views of a strong-headed

Chairman and bis supporters. The Engineer urged that the expenditure of a few thousand pounds extra would enable the dock to be deepened so as to admit larger vessels ; but he was not listened to, and the dock is now a monument of the folly of a set of men assuming a responsibility that should never have been theirs. The mistakes of the Auckland bodies will be repeated on the Thames unless the good sense of a majority of members of our local bodies should prevent it. In the Harbor Board, for instance, we should like to see the members setting their faces against any work of magnitude until a competent engineer has been consulted; but, having obtained professional opinion, by all means let them be guided by such without modification or alteration. The responsibility of failure will not then be laid to their charge, but if the works so entered upon be considered necessary they will have the credit of exercising their duties as public men discreetly and faithfully, even though the expectations of the engineer may not be fully realised. *