A FAITHFUL' SERVANT.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 3 September 1919, Page 4

A FAITHFUL' SERVANT.

To tlic Editor. Sir, —Tie County Engineer, an old and faithful servant of the Horowhenuu County Council, has proved himself to be as he has often been- described by councillors, and as I describe him. 'now. Alas, however, there too often is a "fly in the ointment," and there cer- ' tainly is one in the matter of the en-. ' gincer’s methods in dealing with county roads. The Council invested in an up-to-date plant for road work, but, through the engineer, are retaining out-of-date methods. The methods used may have been good enough in times ! past; but it does not require much hard I thinking to sec that present methods ; are both expensive and useless where good roads are wanted, and if any part of New Zealand requires good roads, or at any rate one good road, it is just, here. For about six months past work lias been carried out on the road be- . iy. ce;i Otnki and Waikanae, aud I, ! -worse luck, have to use part of this length almost every day. A large j amount of money has been spent, and 1 now i lie road is in very little better I order than previously, and must in a j feu months get back to its old state, I full of pot holes, and this in spite 'of the fact that only about twelve ■ jnoiitbs ago an equal amount of work 'was done in that locality. The widening done al I'aclawn swamp is nothing : but a trap for till kinds of vehicles. The work done at the Otaki bridge was ! a huge joke to those who did not have Ito pay the piper. The AVailohu bridge. (the merest novice can see. is just about i a "goner,” aud it is to be tar-sealed! ' (space wilt not allow more in this diree--1 tion, and I have still to come to the I main point. [Our correspondent here goes on to say that the County Council requires I the services of a younger man, of ] greater physical strength as engineer. I and says he understands the Council I has no power to grant their engineer a ; uersioit. 1 The letter proceeds:— i Jjuriug i lie war wo heard a lot about j (he "brotherhood of man.” Is there : l; „ pi : n,o for this in times of peace, or j was it one of war times luoutkings? If i (] lo jaw- does not allow a public body to ! use its funds for pensioning old serj wants, why does it not.’ Will councillors move in the direction of having 1 the* law altered, and will they move . (|uic kiv, and see also that those ill front ! Of them keep the pace up .’—Yours, etc., i W. KNIGHT. < P.N.—I am addressing this and also j my letter re second hand range to the \ chairman and councillors for consideraI [ina ai their next meeting.—W.K. i [Portions of Mr At", Knight’s letter have been excised, as we have no wish t,, be involved in a libel action. —Ed. ".Mail. "J