THE SUNKEN WHARF.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 665, 16 November 1909, Page 9

THE SUNKEN WHARF.

INQUIRY.CONCLUDED. ACTING-ENGINEER BLAMED. Tho 'Wellington Harbour Board yesterday concluded its inquiry into the circumstances, connected with tho subsidonco of tho Petono Wharf. Tlioso present were Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. (chairman), tho lion. T. K. Macdonald, ML.C, Messrs. B Fletcher, 0. TV. Jones, C. Vi. Danioll, M. Cohen, J. G. Harknass, J. W. M'Ewan, and J?. G. Bolton. Mr. J, W. Mnrchbanks, tho board's engineer, was also present. ( Hγ. E. I). Cnchemnille, -nho was actmgongineer to tho board during tho construction of tho wharf, had submitted a statement 'in amplification of his evidence, which has already beea reported. Captain J. T. King, in a letter to tho board , ! .secretary, said that ho had had a great deal of trouble in connection with subsidonco oi the Gear Company's old wharf at Potono Ho was not wo, nt this lapso of time, whether ho had told Mr. TV. Ferguson of this, but ho. would, of coutsc, have en tho latter all tho wfoi motion he possessed. Mr. T. P. Powell, clork of worts to the board, was tho only witness called yesterday. He said that he fiad fully reported to Mr. Cachemaille m regard to the soft driving .of tho piles. Statement by the Chairman. Tho chairman,, m reviewing the position, said that when it "was reported to Mr. Cachomaillo that tho piles vro,ie going in too easily, it would bare been adnsab'le for him to havo gone out and personally watched the work. There was no doubt that tho fact of easj driving was reported to Mr. Cachemaille, and the blamo for what had occurred, irinet rest upon him. Mr. Cachemaille was pienously dranghtsman to tha board, aiid when ho became acting engineer he took on n job whioh T\as more than he was able to do He was energetic, and had plenty of capacity, but he lackpd experience in harbour structural works'. Ho -failed, na many mon had failed before, and tho board appointed a new engineer, Mr. Marohbanks. Mr. Cncheoinille had been appointed on the recommendation of tho previous engineer, who had had opportunities of judging of his capacitj. No man, the chairman Believed, had been more realous, energetic, or Tt hole-hearted than ilr. Cachemaille iu his service to.-the , .board, but he v had failed, and that foot could.not bo bnrked. During tho period in question, tho board had had more engineering work on hand than over before, ind Mr. Cachemaille had been caused to neglect some of .his engineering duties by devoting much time to the legis-, latiori which was thon before Parliament on behalf of tho board. The Patent Slip negotiation and the "Million Loon Bill**. ■ had entailed a gi)>at deal of work on Mr. Cachcmnille, and ho had 'shown moet commendable* attention to detail and great skill in ucinvork and mathematical calculations, and hi? eer\ices had been of great value to the board. , When a young man o£ bnghtneis nnd promiEe got an opportunity of proving himself, it would bD n. bad thing foi New Z»alandoTs and everybody else if he refuvd to try The mistake in connection with tho wharf would cost XMOO to put right—perhaps more srr5 r r Cachemaille had been put bnck from his position at -CGOO a year to ono at £400 a yenr, and ho (the chairman) could not say any more to hit a man who was down. rAr, Fletchec'3 Views. Mr. Fletcher said-that when Mr. Ferguson resigned, ho (Mr. Fletcher) hid- asked tho board to advertise for (in engineer, rb he thought Mr. Cachemaille was not \the man for tho job. Mr. Ferguson shonld have taken moro precautions against [\\a danger of subsidence at Eetonc. Tho I'oard, in tho interests of the public, must look to iti re-V-BHUO, which was not too flush, and could not afford to retain the ternce? of Mr Caehcm&ille any longer. It was not a question of Seeling with him. He had been consistent i throughout the piece. i Mr. Daniel 6aid the chairman had put the matter very fairlj.

Questions of Responsibility. Mr. ll'Ewan said the board and the roan wljo _ recommended Mi. Cachemmlle for his appointment should share tho responsibility. Ho (tho speaker) would not support any motion affecting Mr. Caohemaille a pos'tion on the board. ' Mr. Cohen said thq board could not absohe itself of all rE-spbnsibility. In appointing Mri Cafthomaillp, jths tbjoajd sofiahjt j jo, get expert ongineenng»*fiiei'(fcr hfflf*tft«',*cost it had been paying. Seeing that Mr. Cachemaillo was a nominee of Mr. Ferguson, and that the latter irw paid'an ni-nual retaining fee by the board, the latter shonld have interested himself in th» matter, and known what was going wrong. A Motion. The Hon. T. Kennedy Maodcnald said that, as he had been absent from the country, he had to rely solely on the evidence. The duty of the board was to look nfter the public interest and conserve the, public finance. The board had to face a diminished revenue and heavy liabilities. Ho was boiry to take tip a position antagonistic to any officer, but ho thought Mr. Cachemaille should tender his 'resignation, and with that view he would move tho postponement of the matter for final consideratiqn at the next meeting of the board. Mr. Bolton seconded this Ho referred to the' work at Mirninar, m regard to which Mr Cachemaille's estimate v,ai J537,000, whereasiit was nOTi found that the cost would ho JE51.000. The contribution of the borough of Miramar was based, in the minds of members, on the mistaken estimate, and thus the board had lost a large amount of money. - _ , The chairman said Jlr. Bolton ifas mistaken ad to tho loss incurred m connection with the work at Miramar. Mr. Boltoii challenged the chairman to argue tho matter out in any newspaper. Hγ. Fletcher supported the motion. The spending of tho .£I4OO to repair the exist-ing-wharf would not fulfil the promise!of tho hoard to tho Petono people to build them a wharf. The present structure ■mis bad throughout, and they might as well put a fence round it, and call it ■ " Somobody's Folly." Tho 1 motion was lost. Resolutions Agreed To. Tho chairman moved "That tho actingengineer was at fault, at the time of the discovery of tho soft nature of the ground, in not bringing the fact beforo the board in order that steps could then havo been taken to romedy the trouble then existing." "This was seconded by Mr. Daniell. Mr. Bolton, said b.6 iroiild Hko to know who would take Mr. Marchbanks'e placo if ho were ill or on leave of absence. The 'chairman: Mr. Cachemaillo. The motion was carried. Mr. MTEwan moved: "That tho engineer bfc instructed >to prepare a report in regard to hisjstaff." This was carried. It was also resolved, on the motion of Mr. Cohen, that all reports on engineering matters should be made in writing