THE PREMIER OF NEW ZEALAND AND OTAGO ENGINEERS.

Evening Star, Issue 4150, 15 June 1876, Page 2

THE PREMIER OF NEW ZEALAND AND OTAGO ENGINEERS.

. To the Editdr. ■ 5i

Sir,— Althoaghhot ah enginefer, surveyor, l or a contractor .even, but merelyVbuiMeiv . nevertheless (with all deference‘to Sirtfulius I Vogel) I take lea-ve to think that Otago, but very recently at least,. could well afford to take first rank in nil New Zealand's® to jfcho competency and c&iiabilities>of her.enginUe& For instance, the late Messrs Balfottr and Paterson—men who not only knew their business, but at the dictate and call of (Jujlry not only risked but actually sacrificed their lives in order, if to carry it out t and, before proceeding further, I do, along with the Premier, exceedingly regret. mantles have not fallen on worthier shoulders; hut these are mostly young, anid we should with them, .remembering that the sapling is the parent #£ thetree, and She : boy the father of the man, though study/it may be allowed us, before, tamely huh* mitting to- ' the laid on our engineering talent by ‘ toe Premier, to inquire how, in this reaped Otago engineers compare with the General Government engineers ; aud in’- orate to make this test asimpartiisl'as poSsiblbffce will let results speak for themselves. If I mistake not, the first railway in Otago—the Port ChalmbrS‘ and Dunedin foe *-■ and if the engineering thereon - has hot been in every reaped perfect, yet up to this day it has answered all the demands upon it very well indeed. Next the Southland line ffbm Bluff IriVA?cargiU, and 1 take leave to say that these two lines, although bat the ’prentice work of an Otago engineer, compare very favorably indeed with -Anything we see done by the General Government as yet. Take the Clutha’ line, for instance, which, in. all conscience ! add by the indirect stretch of charity, is more like the work of a tyro than that of a professional engineer—thedefects therein are so palpable and numerous that merely to specify and enumerate them would extend this scroll to unwieldy proportions for your journal. Then, again, theiline from Toko to Lawrence—can any sensible map with his eyes open he oblivions to the glaring shortcomings of the staff her®, but particularly the.Rouind Bill tunnel, where, with the view * of saving 6d, as it were, pounds had ultimately to be sacrificed. The most substantial of any. carried- on by the General Government in: Otago, for masonry about the Glenore Valley as info* port for the permanent way is,, in |ae opinion of all who have seen-it competent to judge such matters, much too omatefor such a secluded locality, yet, no doubt, it may serve to considerably enhanoetho value of property in that district. ■ • ' His Honor the Superintendent cAUnot give up the idea of being All Supreme. .It is most amusing to observe how eyisn mAh of mind will became childish after a long •tenure of office. What in ■ thfl mßMiing n? addressing a defunct body, and that withont giving a new idea of things pins those adaressed to the Premier lately, vrith the exception of bur notable Provincial railways, which, in his Honors opinion, ate not a whit behind other works in progress tod as the Government could not carry onttheir proper engagements with the contractor, they will carry on. the works themselves, and paythecontractoraocordingtohis schedule of prides. N overy contractor would Uke to do the'same if'circumstancespermitted, but who Will £Ay the piper ? The Colony, and especially Otago, had to pay many pipers in. the past. through similar blunders, andAq one knbws this hetter'than his Honor. As .‘this officer' 1 is noW before another tribunal at present 1 have hjo r right to' pre-judge matters, , “but the country would be better ! pleased to see allStAte affairs carried out opegiy, and not as jcp this caßewithclosedd<K>ra.^lam,^&p,,. i ir-; r , Diumdin/ JiWIS/4^

Soajg %e member me.”