HARBOUR ENGINEER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 8

HARBOUR ENGINEER

MK. R. K. DAWSON'S WORK DOES JT AITEJT THE UOUNTII Is the cuun.'y engineer (Mr. R. JL Dawson), in his capacity as ciznsuiliiig engineer tu the Wanganui Harbour Board, devoting more time tu thu board’s v»ork man 's warranted toi the XIUU per annum which the board pays the Wanganui County Counei. for Mr. Dawson’s services,' This question was dcualcd fully at Uhc meeting of the Wanganui County Council yesterday, and the answer was "no.” Air. D. AlcGregur raised t‘*e matter, lie said that the Wanganui County was but one of the contributing local bodies so far as the harboui rate was concerned, and it hud tu beai tho cost of the engineer. He considered ÜbaL the county was entitled to a sum from the board which would cover Hie salary of lhe assistant engined to the county. The chairman (Mr. D. Mackintosh) said that hire engineer was merely supervising the wurk on the moles at Castlccliff, and that did nut take up a great deal of his lime. If it was found that too much of the engineer’s time was spent on harbour v.urk the speaker would b-e the first to ask him to relinquish that duty. Air. T. Alitchell, county representative on lhe board, said that he would be sorry to see the engineer cease acting in his position as consulting engineer to the harbour. Most of the county ratepayers paid harbour rates, and if Air. Dawson did not do the work the uciird would be put to more expense. That would fall back on tho ratepayers. Jt was a case of assisting the harbour to the fullest extent. The engineer explained that, the work on the moles was progressing so well that it did not Lake up a great d-eal of time, and for his services the county was receiving £ 1 00 per year. He was doing more for the county than was due to it. If the board had to engage another engineer it would cost the ratepayers to the harbour more. Cr. McGregor, replying, said that the engineer’s services were being gi'cii for a fee which was not sufficient. Charity began at home, he said, and if more was to be found there weie other contributing bodies, such as the city, with 26,000 people and the Waitotara County. At the moment the Wanganui County did the whole thing, and there were complaints that lhe county Toads w’ere not getting the at tentiou they required. like discussion lapsed