AUCKLAND'S ORGY OF CIVIC WASTE

NZ Truth, Issue 1261, 30 January 1930, Page 1

AUCKLAND'S ORGY OF CIVIC WASTE

MOULDERING IN RUST AND DECAY

Valuable Property Own^d by The Ratepayers Left To Rot Ih Disused Camp

SCANDALOUS WASTE BY CITY COUNCIL

-'„.' (From "N.Z. Truth V' Special Auckland Representative)

piiummmi iiiiiiiiiiimi irMiiiuiiHiitiMriiiiiiiriiMMiitiiiiiiiiiiiniiiniifMiitiriMiiifiittiiiMiMiifiMwritfoiiiiti^ititMiftiirfiiitifrfiiiMfirtiiiriffiiirxiiMiuxifiJiiii jiiriuniiiiinnntiiinnniiiiusttiMMiuniiiiMMiiiiiiiiiKtuit-.iiutiiiiiuiMtMitdttriiiiiii titutu iiiiiimiiiiiiiiniiiiiiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiimmminmiiiiiiiiiuiiimmig I That ratepayers would be saved many thousands of pounds annually if city councillors ran municipal enterprises as | I though they were their own private businesses must be self-evident to everybody who exhibits even the slightest interest m | | city affairs, But, unfortunately, examples of waste, extravagance and sheer carelessness are characteristic of city council ad- | | ministration. .* . ■ ; i | 1 "Truth" cites one example of municipal waste and carelessness, involving the Auckland City Council, and it would.be [ I well for the ratepayers td i call their representatives to account over the matter. § 1 Such muddling as has characterised the administration of the Auckland city fathers has become a matter to be taken | I more or less for granted by the ratepayers, but let them remember that it is they who have to foot the bill. If they choose to | I ' tolerate waste, then they cannot complain if the rates assume proportions that constitute a crushing burden on their finances. |

DO the Auckland city councillors appreciate the fact that their election ' ito their positions i invests them with the responsibility of being I the trustees of the ratepayers' money, and that It is , consequently their duty individually and collectively to ( make every effort to see that there is no waste, extravagance, or -wanton carelessness?, Past ihistory m council matters md the expenditure of the ratepayers' money has not tgone to prove that the Mayor and councillors have exercised that care on expenditure that it was their duty to; observe. •--If the cbuncilvis satisfied with its stewardship,' then "Truth" is not. A visit 'paid by "Truth" representatives to' the outlet of the valley which runs down .'jf roni the Nihotupu Valley and leads to, the small area of flat land, which borders on Big Muddy Creek a-bout eighteen miles from Auckland, furnished ample evidence of reckless extravagance. In connection with the construction of; the pipe way from the Huia Dam; and possibly m connection with the Nihotupu Dam, several years ago, a camp was established for the workers a little way up this valley. BASE OF OPERATIONS At the wharf erected on the banks of Big Muddy Creek much of the material required m connectipn . with the dam works was landed. It was a base of operations. Either early, m 1929 or towards the end of 1928 the camp was vacated. This much was discoverable by looking at receipted bills which had been left hanging : m the deserted mesaroom, which was open for anyone to enter. The Mast receipt hanging oil the wall was dated December, 1928. Attention was first directed to the area which bordered the banks of the tidal creek. The flat land there being utiiiaed as a base 'of supplies and connected to the wharf and valley by a small tramway. Commencing at the point nearest to the creek, the investigator found m a shed a locomotive, which, several years ago had been transported to Muddy Creek by the contractors for the Nihotupu dam work. ' This engine was intended for haulage purposes, but apparently it was not suitable for the work. The contractors, it is understood, relinquished their icontract, and the City Council bought the engine. Whether they found afterwards that it was not the kind required for the work or not must ! be left to the imagination, but there is good reason to believe, that it was never used. It must have been where it at present stands for at least three, possibly four, years. RUST EVERYWHERE The shed m which it is at present housed is only partially weather-proof, and open at one end to the wind, laden with salt spray. Driving rain can penetrate the shed without difficulty. The state of the engine at present is beyond description. Rust has been doing its work of destruction, and it is m a. deplorable state. There. is not a vestige of grease anywhere to be seen on any. part of it, and it must have depreciated m value, even as old- iron, so as to be practically valueless. Of course, an expert would 'be required to give an opinion as to whether this locomotoive had, or has, any value. If the latter is the case, the price it might fetch as old iron, or for the sake of some of the parts, might be a small asset, and one which, m the 'interests of the ratepayers, ought to. be considered. EXPOSED TO WEATHER A little distance away is another and newer' locomotive, which was purchased to take the place of the one which it is understood was taken over at a price from the contractors. This smaller engine is housed m a shed, to give it a name, which indifferently protects it from the elements, being open at one end, and anything but weather-proof. Nowhere on any part of it is there visible to the naked eye one vestige of, oil or grease. • In places •the rust is scaling off m flakes. Such must have been the haste to

. leave the place, and so lax must have been those responsible that they never thought it incumbent upon themselves to see that any tools and oddments were packed or locked up. — ........ y There were spare parts (brass) lying about on shelves, spanners, and an ; assortment of articles which are not given away at any store. / Granted that the value of these: assorted articles may not be very great, they yet have a value, and the cost of them came out of the pockets of : the ratepayers. I N(TPKECAUTIONS It is m regard to the locomotive itself that the most culpable neglect has been shown. It cannot have cost a penny under £3000, and yet whoever was , m charge of this' branch of council service has not seen fit to take any reasonable precautions to see that there has been no depreciation. The fact that the shed is not even locked or fitted with doors, and that such small articles :as " can be seen may be but the remnants of what was originally left behind, speaks for itself most eloquently. But the most conspicuous feature tv attract the eye on this creek flat is a stack of great steel pipes, fifty-nine or sixty m number, which are becoming overgrown with blackberry brambles and grass. The rank grass, amidst which grows many a clump of gorse, is m places nearly three feet high. This grass covers all the flat, and,

thanks to the unusually wet summer, it is still fairly green. These pipes cost the Auckland City Council, m other words the people who pay the rate, approximately £40 each. Sixty at £40 totals up to the respectable sum of £2400. From a man who may be said to be an expert on such matters, "Truth" is informed that it is not a very easy matter to estimate to a nicety the length of pipes which may be needed on such work, but there are good grounds for stating that these pipes were hauled by private contract up the valley. When it was found they were m excess of the number required, back they were' taken to the creek side again. They then were stacked on the flat over a year ago, and there they have been ever since. ' If every precaution had been taken to preserve them from deterioration, ■ due to wind or weather, there might

not be much to complain, of, but no such- precautions were taken by anyone. Apparently it 'was no one's job. | The result is clearly to be seen. The composition which was placed upon the hessian, which is used to protect., the other , special ..p'reparatlon, ; which, m turn is to protect the steel of the pipe, has commenced to i ;' I decayVjy;y;.y:,..v.,:( i '.'!j; > 'In places '.the ''o/utyide;'., cVye^ing ysaV rotted and can toe removed without the least difficulty. The bitumen, or taiy has perished with long exposure to the • weather, and possibly to a certain extent to -the'

inevitable damage m haulage. This has v left the hessian bare and that has rotted. One patch of pipe deprived of this protective covering is -sufficient to commence extensive damage. Once rust enters the steel pipe, nothing 'done '.later 'ca,n'' overcome' the' subsequent 'corrosive action of the rust. . ; ■ When? ike. •'•'pipe's- we're •; stacked they should have been given a coat^cf bituminous material as an extra precautipn.. • There are : four shorter pipes, which are known as "special fittings." These

are of the same type as those already ' mentioned. Their value cannot be less than £7 or £8 each. There is, m addition to the other material, a considerable quantity of Australian hardwood, in' size four by four. There are trucks, and other assorted articles, such as steel rails, to be found here and there , amid the grass and gorse. If a value could be placed on everything going to ruin on the flat beside the creek; including the two engines, ■

it could not be set down at a lesser sum than £4000, and that would be tne very lowest estimate. Yet a child playing with matches, starting ah accidental flre, is capable of completing the damage which nature has begun. Some way up the valley where the camp was situated, the same disregard of the ratepayers' property has been displayed. RISK OF PILLAGE In one shed, which is unlocked, can be seen an electric generator, which supplied the lighting for the camp. It is m a state of rust, dust, and dirt. Damp and time have played havoc with it.y On a sheif m the same hut are sixteen leyden jars of a large size, and three big demijohns, which may contain either acid or distilled water. In one of the sheds were : several yards of solid rubber tiring hung over a bar on the wall, but while colls ot cheap rope and a, few shovels were [ locked up, this was left for possible pillage. , What used to t>e the "smithy" is open. In this there is a forge, a large vice, a small grind-stone, and various odds and ends of tools. What may have been removed by those who believe m "opportunity," it is impossible to say. In another ramshackle hut, open to the weather on three sides, where sheets of corrugated iron had never been placed, or have since 'been removed,/there is the engine which drove the crusher. This is evidently a petrol or kero-sene-driven machine, and almost new, to judge by the paint still visible on *•' ' '".■ I • The piston or driving rod of this has commenced to rust, as have other steel parts of the engine. j There is no sign that it has been

I cared for since it was left, and I there was not a vestige of grease to be seen on it. In another shed, which is closed by a wooden bar, there were four or five tents which had ibeen hurled down, casually, and also a pack saddle. Not far away m another shed, which was locked, some few shovels, a wheelbarrow, a coil of rope, and. oddments could be seen through- the window. .Resting m the corner of another shed, which was not secured, was, a solid brass worm, or part, which had

the appearance of never having been used. If this could be made or bought for less than £8 to 10 it would be. a bargain. The mess hut, a solid and well-built affair, was unlocked, and had been left m a clean condition. It was a credit to the man whose duty it was to run it. - The big stove installed m the kitchen has not received any attention since the exodus took place,' and rust is eating it away. In what was presumably the storeroom alongside — unlocked— were two camp ovens and; a big boiling pot. Just outside were the remains of some of the tent houses, with- "board floors. The large tents had never been struck, but left for rain and wind to destroy, and the remnants hung m festoons over the ridge pole and walls. RATEPAYERS PAID Solidly-constructed camp stretchers reposed under the ruins. These are beginning to show signs of : decay. : ; Here and there spread over the nearby landscape were rails, timber, a few concrete pipes, haulage trucks, a tip-dray, and an assortment of materials, all of which had a value, and had been purchased with ratepayers', money.! I Months having, elapsed since the camp was vacated, it. is hard to say what may, or may not, have been removed to -be utilised by persons who might have thought they might as well I take charge of them as leave them there for others to remove. No doubt the self-satisfied councillors,, trustees of ' the . Aucklanders' money, will have plenty of plausible excuses to offer for the gross neglect which has been displayed with the people's property. SCANDALOUS WASTE They will, perhaps, say that there is nothing which can suffer any serious damage or deterioration. This is debatable, and it does not excuse the failure which has been shown toy some responsible official to have every precaution taken to preserve property which has cost rib small sum of money. Such methods would be • unthinkable m any private firm; unless it: was deliberately heading for bankruptcy. : It is impossible to think that those members ,of. the"C ity. Council who are In businesses of their own I would tolerate such slack and slipshod methods. Their commercial instincts would be outraged at the "'•.' very thought of such waste or loss. Private contractors, as any business man knows, do not leave material to decay m the weather when a job is finished. If the materials left over are of no further use to them, they gather them up and • dispose of them at the best possible price as early as Convenient. ENQUIRY NEEDED As the work on the dams was under the supervision of the ■« acting-city engineer, the City Council should aßk him to hold a full inquiry into the matter, with a view to ascertaining exactly how this shameful neglect and waste came about. . In the state of indebtedness which Auckland City is at present, and the innumerable unprofitable transactions m which it is involved, the general shortage of money, not to mention past extravagance, warrants , the greatest care being taken that there is as little waste as possible, and with this sort of example before them, the councillors have to face a charge of lamentable' neglect to protect the interests of those ywhom they are supposed to represent.