CIVIL ENGINEERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1710, 29 March 1913, Page 3

CIVIL ENGINEERS.

LOCAL BODIES' OFFICERS CONFER, THE ANNUAL MEETING.' The second annual meeting of the Insliture of Local Government Engineers of New Zealand was hold in the Marino Engineers' Institute yesterday. Mr. S. Jickoll, engineer to the Borough of Palmorbton North,' and president of the institute was in the chair. There were about thirty members present.; 1 Annual Report. Following are some extracts from the annual report:—"Our last meeting was held on March 20, 1912, when the institute was formed. • At that time deleKates were appointed to wait upon the then Ministers with a view of securing legislation incorporating the institute, and establishing the status of local government engineers. This was done, and it is,pleasing to report that every . encouragement was given in the direction sought. In additfon to waiting upon Ministers, a deputation from the institute waited upon the Municipal Conference, in session, requesting that body to adopt tho principle of superannuation for its. officers. The delegates received, a sympathetic hearing, and the matter was referred to a special committee, but at the present timo no further advice has been, received upon this important matter. .'_ . "During the year 49 applications wero received for membership. Seventeen "of the applicants were admitted as members, and six as associates. The membership at last annual meeting was 25, and t<Mlay it is 90. This is a very considerable increase, and a most hopeful outlook for the future progress and success of tho institute. .

"The question of payment by their respective local bodies of expenses of officers attending the .annual meetings is" one of considerable importance to them, and the council " would ' like' an expression of opinion from ..this meeting as to whether or not such a proposal should be embodied in a circular, for consideration by local .bodies. >' "With a view to adding further strength to the Institute, your council recommend that the Ministers for Public Works and for Railways and their chief engineers bo ..asked. to facilitate their officers becoming members of the institute, and ; with your approval,, steps will be taken in this direction.* . "Early in the ensuing year it, is proposed to issue diplomas to members, and this is receiving attention at present. It is recommended that invitations be extended to the chairman or representative of local bodies to attend the'annual conference upon a day to be duly fixed." The report was considered in sections.

General Matters. The' chairman said that the Council had thought it advisable that members should be known and designated as members by certain letters after.their names. He suggested that, members should be known by the style "M. Inst. L.G.E.," associate members "A.M. Inst., L.G.E.," and associates'"A. Inst., L.G.E." ■ This proposal was adopted. The recommendation that'lpcal bodies should ■ be asked to pay the "expenses of their'engineers attending the . annual conference was approved/ after some discus-

The report as a whole was adopted. On the motion, of' Mr. W. Ferguson, .it was decided that the committee set up'to consider ,the question of affiliating with the County and Municipal Engineers' Association, in England, and .with the Australian Institute, report fully as to the result of their inquiries' to tho next annual meeting. The balance-sheet, showed "that_._ the cash after-paying all liabilities, was .£lO4. This was considered by members, to be highly satisfactory. Mr. F. J.'Williams (Dunedin) drew the attention of tho meeting to a clause in the Architects*®!! purporting to regulate the building of Vidges. Ho moved that it be an instruction to the council .to oppose this clause to the best of their ability.

Mr., W. Ferguson pointed out, however, that the strict supervision of. all legislation coming forward, was one of the main duties-'of; the council. After further discussion', it was resolved, on the motion of' Mi;.' W. Ferguson, that it be an instruction to the'council to set up a Legislation Committee, whose duty it should be to watch all bills coming forward, and to act for the institute in eases of urgency. A, resolution was affirmed expressing sorrow for the Scott Antarctio disaster, and condolence with the relatives of those who perished. On the motion of Mr. F.' J. Williams, it was, decided "that it be an instruction to .the council to take such steps as would prevent the clashing of the Surveyors' Institute with the Institute of Local Government 'Engineers." ; ' ,The council was authorised to'prepare a'new by-law giving full voting power to assoc'ate members. The matter of, establishing a benevolent fund for members, was referred to the council, with instructions'.to forinulate and submit a scheme for, the foundation and administration of such a fund. The-chairman undertook that, the' council would look into the . question of forming local branches of the institute, and report wliat could be done. Election of Officers. The election of officers, • next proceeded, withj resulted as follows:—President, Mr. <S. Jickell; v vice-presidents, Messrs. S. A. E. Mair and E. S. Eounthwaite; council, Messrs. W. J. Eoche, W. Ferguson, C. E. Bremner, E. J. Dillon, A. Patterson, E. J.- Armstrong, F. Basliani, F. AVilliams, C. Banks, G. Maginness, A. H. M. Wright, and F. Shannon; treasurer, Mr. E. L. Harding; ;secretary, Mr. T. E. Wallace. '

International Roads Conference, 1 On the motion of Mr. S. A. E. Bremner, it was decided: "That this meeting of local government engineers of New Zealand urge upon the Government the importance of New Zealand being represented at the International Conference of Engineers to be held in London on June 13, 1913, nest to consider, among other matters, roads and street construction, and maintenance, suggest that this institute cooperate with the Government in suoh representation, and be allowed' to have a_voice in. the nomination of .such representatives; and that, a committee, consisting of the president and Mr. EountWaite, wait ujxm the Prime Minister regarding the subject."

Papers by Members. A number of papers were read by members. Mr. F. Basham read the first paper, the subject of which was the uee of tar on roads, especially on roads in 'cities and boroughs, but also on country roads in closely-settled dairying districts, subject to frequent and often heavy traffic. Mr. S. A. H. Mair detailed his-experi-ence in the use of burnt papa and clay as a substitute for road metal in inaccessible districts where Toad metal or other paving material is not obtainable. Mr. C. i'j. Breinner had prepared a history of the Panama Canal enterprise, from the time that it was first seriously mooted in 1850 up to the present. Ho also . traversed the _ engineering work of construction, detailing the difficulties to be surmounted, ami-illustrating by'means of diagrams how they were overcomo. Mr. J. W. lioclio read an interesting history of the growth of the use of deep drainage in cities, with spccial reference to the use of intercepting traps for house drains. He discussed also the advisability of using these traps. Votjes of thanks were accorded to the members who had contributed papers, and to the press. To-day visiting members are to bo shown over engineering undertakings in and around Wellington. A party is to go out to AVainuii waterworks, looking over the Hutt Pipe Bridge en routo. Another party will look over the destructor, the pumpiiig-station, and tho olectric power-station.

TFIE ANNUAL DINNER. The annual dinner of tho institute was field in the Lecture Mall of the Marino Engineers' Institute last evening. Mr. S. JicKell presided. The -Prime-Minister (the lion. \V. J>\ Miisscy) was among the. invited guests, but at-the last moment he fouud the pressure of work too heavy,

and he deputed Mr. D. Buick, Ml"., to apologiso on his behalf, and to state this reason for his inability to attend. In his absence tho response to the toast of Parliament was acknowledged by Mr. Buick. Other toasts honoured woro "Tho King,'' "The Institute of Local Government Engineers," "Local Bodies," "The Institute of Marino Engineers," and "The Press." There was an impromptu entertainment programme, and the company spent a most enjoyable evening.