THE GLOBE. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 23, 1880. THE NEW BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2106, 23 November 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 23, 1880. THE NEW BOARD OF CONSERVATORS.

It is, we think, greatly to be regretted that the members of the Board of Conservators now expiring have not been induced to continue their exceedingly valuable services to the public. They have devoted many years of patient labour and study to the work of restraining the river, and have necessarily acquired a large and valuable amount of experience. This, to a certain extent at least, the public is now deprived of. "We have not the slightest wish to depreciate the gentlemen who have been nominated in the various sub-districts. They are, for the most part, keen men of business, whose common sense would be invaluable on a Board or Council of ordinary character. But there is just the point. This is not an ordinary Board, demanding simply business ability. They will have to deal with a formidable river, and it is highly essential, nay almost positively necessary, that to do this effectually they should have some knowledge of the work. Now this is just what we do not believe one of the gentlemen nominated does possess. It has taken the retiring members years of observation and watching to be able to cope with the river successfully, and it may be that the whole of the labour and thought of those years may be rendered nugatory by the action unwittingly and without full knowledge taken by the new Board. It is well for the ratepayers to remember that this is not an ordinary case in which, if mistakes be made, they are mistakes -of legislation only. Far more serious interests are involved than this, and it behoves us, as having large properties at stake, which may be jeopardised, to see that proper precautions are taken. In view of the fact that the entire Board, as likely to be constituted, are ignorant in a large degree at any rate of the character and nature of the work to be undertaken, and that it will be some little time ere they acquire such knowledge, it may perhaps be worth considering if it would not be well that they should be assisted by some skilled advice. In these days of retrenchment and economy it is true that one hardly dare suggest further expenditure, but there is such a thing as false economy. Such advice might cost a certain sum per annum, but the placing it at the disposal of the Board might perhaps save hundreds of thousands of pounds. In the late Board, it must be remembered, there were men who by profession and knowlege might be considered experts. In the present Board there are no such individuals. We have, thanks to the increasing exertions and watchful care of the Board, whose term of office is now terminating, come to regard the river something like the traditional bogey, and to grumble somewhat at having to pay the rate. But those who know the working of the river will tell us that even now the danger is not averted. Any day, despite the works, an extraordinary flood in the river would do immense damage. Every week the Board have had to confront the enemy with some new work, and to bar the progress of the water in the direction of the city. Constant care and supervision, therefore, is needed at the works, and it is not to be expected that a body of gentlemen without any special experience or qualifications can undertake such a work by the light of their naked reason alone. It seems to us that the new Board, when elected, should seriously consider thispoint: whether in the interests of the citizens it is not advisable to have some professional man to advise with them on the very difficult subject of dealing with the river. Before" concluding we may say that there should be but one opinion as to tho valuable services rendered by the expiring Board as a whole and Messrs Harinan and J. N. Tosswill specially. The latter gentlemen have spared neither time or trouble in carrying out their duties, and Mr. Tosswill in particular has acquired a mass of information of the greatest possible value. Certainly—though of course there are grumblers—we think the public have cause to thank these gentlemen for services faithfully and zealously performed.