“NARK” NEEDED TO NOSE INTO THINGS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 1 April 1931, Page 7

“NARK” NEEDED TO NOSE INTO THINGS.

SPEAKER URGES CUTTING DOWN THE EXPENDITURE. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, April 1. “We have got to have a * nark,'” said Mr W. Duncan, a candidate for the City Council, addressing the meeting of the Wellington Ratepayers’ Association, “ and-‘if elected I am going to be one of those * narks.’ ” Doubtful if city councillors knew who spent the public money, Mr Duncan attacked the purchasing department of the city. Did the council know what that department purchased? He understood that the purchaser had been a clerk in the City Council’s service all his life. How could he know the difference between brass and muntz metal? “ It seems to me that every foreman carpenter has a motor-car," he said. 44 You see a job with a foreman, and five men there. The foreman does nothing, but presently along comes the real foreman in a motor-car. If he cannot drive a car he has a chauffeur. These are all things we should be able to save money on. Who is responsible for this muddle we are in now? They all admit it, but none of them will take it on themselves. What we want is a city manager. Take the Harbour Board. We have brought the muddle on ourselves by letting it go on from year to year. “ Tenders should be called for every job exceeding £IOO. I know of a job in Hawker Street that took seven weeks or so to do. The men did nothing for two whole days because the shingle did not come to hand. We can save money on these things, but if we take what they tell us we are not going to save money. What we want is a * nark.’ We have got to have a ‘ nark.’ If elected lam going to be one of these 4 narks,’ and nose into everything.”