CITY ENGINEER'S TRIP ABROAD

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 113, 6 February 1919, Page 5

CITY ENGINEER'S TRIP ABROAD

A TOUR FOR THE CITY'S BENEFIT. Referring to the proposed trip to England,, and possibly America, ot the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., C.M.G.), stated yesterday that the more ho thoughtover the project the more he became convinced that it was the City Council's duty to send Mr. Mprtoii abroad at the present juncture, . aid if he were not sent they : would be failing in what was in the very best interests of the city. There might be those who regarded the proposed trip as something in the nature of a joy-ride, or at least a, prolonged holiday. People who entertained such ideas did not know Mr. Morton,, and in all probability could not, if asked, give an estimate of the arduous and faithful service' ho had given this city for over a :deeade past. ' . "Now that we are at the beginning of- a new em—the-' post-war -era," said Mr. Luke, "the city stands in need of much which it has had to forego during the war. For nearly five years we have .been at a standstill in many : things* owinp; to .the sources of supply being cut off, but whilst wb have been standing still the demands of a rapidly- : growing city have continued to increase. We have tried to meet :them as best wo can. but are now right up against it. and our plants, both - for electric light and tramways, require expanding as 60on as possible on lines that would tide the city over tho next few years at all events."

[ Mr. Luke said he had always been proud.of the municipal enlightenment of Wellington. Wellington had always been kept up to a.pretty high standard, and he. for one, did not wish to see that standard lowered, and he had that end in view in advocating atrip abroad for the City Engineer. He'-felt he was on sound ground,' as' it was the common practice of all progressive cities to send their responsible officers—especially those who have the ta6k. of designing and controlling city worts and trade concerns— away to gain the experience that is to be gleaned from the aristocracy of the world's, brains.' It was foolish to say

that we had nothing to learn. There must be a great deal to be learned by

travel,.otherwi'p such cities as Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham; and Glasgow would not send their engineers abroad as they did. In the latter cases these men visited the Continent and America in search of new ideas and notions adaptable to their own city. It was true that in our .easo the proposal entailed a long journey and a considerable loss of time, but the. benefit to a growing city like Wellington could not be measured in money. . If the city corporation was to keep' abreast of the times the engineer must be given a chance to see what was going on in the big outside world, and in view of our requirements, and the whole position, he did not think there could be any doubt as to the -fitness of the time for-,the trip.

• Mr. Luke also pointed out that what had been Wellington's experience during

the.war had been the experience of many other cities, and that being the case manufacturers would be rushed off theiT legs with orders, and it would largely be the man on the spot who would be able to push, his orders through first. The war had taught many lessons—it was the mother of many inventions—and many of those must be of value to men responsible for the equipment and management of a city like Wellington.