LOCAL BODY ENGINEERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2012, 20 March 1914, Page 7

LOCAL BODY ENGINEERS.

* —: — ' ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (By TolesNiph.—Prws Asioolo.tlon.l Auckland, March 19. Engineers from every quarter in Now Zealand assembled this morning on the occasion of tho third annual conference of tho New Zealand Institute . of Local Government Engineers. Mr. S. Jickill, of Palmcrston North, presided over some sixty delegates. The result of the ballot for the elec : tion of officers was announced as fol T lows:—President, Mr. R. S. Rounthwaite (Wellington); General Council, Messrs. Armstrong (Palmerston North), Banks (Waitaki), Bashani (Eltham), Brcmner (Waimato), Dillon'(Pahiatua), M'Guiniiess (Paparoa), M'Ourdy (Dunedin), Paterson (Wellington), Roche (Lower Hutt), - Shannon (Rodney County), Williams (Dunedin), Wright (Pa tea County); vice-presidents, Messrs. S.' A. R. Mair (Hunterville) and W. Fergusou (Wellington); treasurer, Mr. R. Harding (Feilding). . > The annual report showed that nine members and one associate member had been elected during the year. Eleven applications had been declined or adjourned.. On assuming the presidential chair, Mr. Rounthwaite pointed 'out that, amongst other matters which would be placed before the meeting, was a proposal made- by the Wellington members of the- English Institute of Civil Engineers to form one society of engineers for New, Zealand, this to include the Institute of N.Z.L.G. Engineers. Ho thought that the proposal would be an immense advantage to the members for a combination of all engineers in the Dominion would make a strong' and influential society. • ' The conference proceeded to consider the recommendations cf tho council with regard to the proposed absorption of the institute in a New Zealand Engineers' Society. These provided that a society bo formed, to be incorporated under 'tire Incorporated Societies Act, 1908, and to bo-called the New Zealand Society of Civil ; Engineers; that the members, associate members, officers, and the council of the present institute occupy a similar:status in the new society; and that tho council bo empowered to wind up.the institute.and transfer all its property to'the new society. After a lengthy discussion it was moved by Mr, F. /\V. Williams, of Dunedin, and seconded by Mr. W. f Ferguson, of.WollingfcbijiJ IhaVtho recommendations be adopted.'' This was carried. "Shingle Action in Hawke's Bay" was the subject of an able paper by Mr. C. D. Kennedy, of/Napior. He pointed out that the heavy rain on the Hawke's Bay hills scours the shingle into the' rivers, and carries it to the coast, where it blocks the river outlets, and causes floods in the low-lying lands. The paper contained much valuable information about the work, which is being done to counteract tho movements of the shingle. ■

The next meeting of tho society has been fixed for March, 1915, and is to be held in Dunedin.