MUNICIPAL MATTERS DISQUIET.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 42, 28 March 1929, Page 4

MUNICIPAL MATTERS DISQUIET.

(By Senex,)

"It's only what I've\ been told,- you know, ■-■- .■*■";. . I don't know whether it's true, / . But just as it's been told to me I'm telling it on to you./' So sang the old topical song writer many years ago, and-the present excited and unrestful feeling prevailing -.n the borough seems to well justify giving publicity to just a few "they says" and "I am tplds" that are rife at present. As the writer goes about the district, saying little, but looking very wise/he has been the recipient of more "they says" and "I am tolds" . than would fill the "Hutt News ' thrice over, arid a. few of them only must-be selected for the delectation of your readers. THEY SAY:— ;---•. "j That without authority the policy of the Council has been changed in the j matter of substituting concrete Patmerston North made sewerage pipes xox j the Hutt Valley made glazed pipes that have hitherto been used, md which have' given satisfaction. That until the matter was' brought under their notice by burgesses who object , to having their ratepayers money expended in this manner, Councillors were unaware of the~ new scheme. That while it is- true'that the mistakes of doctors and drainage, engineers are covered up underground, errors in the work of the latter/ whether in materials or levels have to be resurrected sooner or later, possibly after the engineer has.. passed on to another sphere of usefulness; and then I what value to the suffering ratepayers is his personal assurance that the innovation will .be quite all right thank you. That one does not need to be an engineer to know a porous material like, concrete canriot, and will not, give the same"' service as glazed earthenware pipes; even though the cost may be less just now, this wlil probably be quadrupled when the cost of replacement in! a few years has to be nietr " x That some of the concrete pipes'that [have been already" placed on the ground in readiness^for use are so porous that a pencil or a nail can be, and \ was, easily poked through 'from inside outwards or the reverse. True, these pipes have been condemned by oaf capabl borough engineer, but this only happened after their condition had * been noted, and attention. called to it by a burgesai who has.no qualifications as a civil engineer! That the change from glazed to concrete pipes is unauthorised, by resolution of the Council; that no tenders 'were called for the supply of such. 30nerete pipes; that the said pipes were | obtained from —-— (The danger~of a possible breach of the Libel Act aas necessitated the use of the'*'blue pen- i cil V here.—Ed. BUST,) And that it is j ridiculous nonsense of anyone to say that a porous- pipe is as good as a glazed pipe for the conveyance of -sewage.. That now is the time to objest to the use of possibly improper—certainly experimental—material in the the Borough 's sanitary system. It is pointed, out that the change has been inaugurated before Jfche councillors had

any opportunity of expressing either approval or dissent. But from publish ed reports of the. council's proceedings it would appear that this drastic, change is to be carried out, and apparently councillors are content to accept the personal assurance-of the engineer that "it will be all right. I'll guarantee it without seeking furtaer expert advice on the matter.

That a ratepayer has been refused leave to inspect the Minutes of the Council's proceedings recently (in direct contravention to the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act) and it is of course possible that something is therein recorded that affects the matters^ above refrrd to, and which it is not desired should be available to nfce enquiring—not to say prying'eye. But it is funny, don't you think?

These are only a very small selection of the things that "I've been told, you know but space is limited, and ydu^'Burleighan;'"s"cribe, who hears all, !; and. like Brer JRabbit says nu'ffn' proposes to record more in a future issue. He expresses no -opinion on the matters of which he has "been told" (though he has one, and a most decided one at that) and only carries out the duties of a scribe in letting one half the world know that the other /half is thinking. .-