OTAKI BOROUGH COUNCIL

Otaki Mail, 12 September 1923, Page 3

OTAKI BOROUGH COUNCIL

DRAINAGE WORKS. A special meeting- of the above was held oil Monday. Present; Crs. I'. O’Rourke, Deputy-Mayor. (in the chair). Cry. P. Kiluhaiui, C. Kilsby. H. Taylor, H. Cockrell, and 11. Kilmister, Owing to illness Mr. Brandon (Mayor) was unable to attend and regret was expressed at his absence, while the Deputy-Mayor remarked that Mr. /Brandon was even, junatye to transact business at his own homo. He stated that it had been hoped that Mr. Brandon would be well enough to discuss matters relative to the drainage scheme. The Town Clerk read the following from His Worship the Mayor:— ‘‘Dearyir,—l beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of dth inst. conveying to me the resolution of the De-puty-Mayor and Councillors, wishing me a speedy return to good health, also the endorsement of same by yourself ' and statf. A good meeting with all oi . you, especially if the matter undei discussion was tin* size of pipes, would do me more good than all the wrote lieu medicine ami pills 1 am forced to take by my medical adviser. I was in hopes that the recent addition to his family would have rendered him somewhat more soft-hearted, so 1 ventured to suggest being allowed to attend a Council meeting to deal with drainage matters. In view of the cordial manner in which my suggestion was received, 1 would rather face my fellow Councillors with a proposal ro borrow £ijii,UUo for Municipal buildings, and street im-

provement purposes, than approach my medical adviser with a request that the strict instructions he has given regarding my treatment should lie in any way be departed from. Again thanking you all and tilisting to be with you again before long.— fours, sincerely, J. P. BKAXDON. ’ ’ The Deputy-Mayor then stated that the Council was on the horns of a dilemma, but he hoped it would emerge alright. He added that Mr. Brandon was in favour of the Council's engineer carrying out the scheme, but the fact must not be overlooked that Mr. Davies had welcomed Mr. .Jickell’s scheme, and that it would be monstrous to carry out the present scheme, if tiny doubt was cast on it, till veriiied as correct. Cr. O’Rourke then referred to what he considered a grave blunder in securing land for the catchment area for the water-works, lie said the engineer had acted unwisely in taking one side of the creek and not the other, thus allowing pollution of the stream by stock. The object of taking land was to stop pollution. He was sure ovei the matter and considered the engineer responsible. Mr. Brandon had taken responsibility and if a mistake was made over the sewerage would probably again offer to shoulder the responsibility. Mr. Davies, stated the chairman, repudiated all responsibilities for wrong survey, and he did not wish to see mistakes made in connection with

drainage. Cr. Kilsby ask'cd if Mr. Davies would he able to claim per cetitagc on mime-, unspent. Mr. Davies answered that he would not think of asking lor it. The .Deputy-Mayor, than asked Mr. Davies who authorised him to thank Mr. Dutliic for forwarding pipes, which it was stated., were in a satufnetory coudition, despite the fact that it had cast hundreds of pounds t.o repair them. Mr, Davies said he had told Rut hie *hitt patching was required and that the expense of so doing should be born by" Duthic. There were rust, marks on the pipes on arrival, these had nov, become more evident. Cr. O’Rourke said Mr. Davies alioulU not hnv« taken delivery of damage goods, lie was not satisfied with the joining tip of pipes on Rangiuru I’oad and had no wish to see the present scheme a failure. He thought Mr. Brandon’s estimate prepostrous, and stated if the Council employed ti Clerk of Works for the drainage it would not need an engineer. In answer to Cr. Kilsbv the DeputyMayor said Mr. Jickell gave no guarantee that his scheme would be a success, but that, it would lie carried out to the best of his ability. Cr. Cockrell: If we adopt Jickedl's scheme eve give him 5 per cent, and provide a Clerk of Works. Cr. Kilmister said he had been against a Clerk of Works on the wateiworks scheme. It had only meant wasting money when Mr. Davies could have done the work. The Deputy-Mayor pointed out that Mr. Davies was ’ then a busy man, 1.-.iving plans, etc., to draw up: D . o "' he was not so busy. The main thing was to get the drainage plans approved, but the Council should rememwer that Mr. Jickell was riot the only pebble on iiie beach. After further discussion Cr. kdsby moved that Mr. Jickell be given a pet cent, to put. in the whole of the drainage and sewerage works and that the Council's engineer’s report be dispensed with.—Seconed by Cr. Rikihana. Or. Cockrell proposed as an amendment. that the Council go on with Mr. DiJ.Yes’ scheme. Mistakes may have been made, he said, in the past, re the catchment area, but Councillors were to blame equally as much as the engineer: ■Ai • re was no seconder. Cix Cockrell' then moved a Jurther aniendmcnt, viz., that Mr. Jickell be asked to prepare a drnftagc scheme for Otnki at a remuneration of 21 per cent, pn the total cost, such cost not to exceed £l4,UtlO. This was seconded by Cr. Taylor and Ca fried.

Air Davies .said there »vas uiily one conclusion that lie could arrive at ami that was that he was not capable of earrving out. the scheme. He considered he was fullv qualified, ami in support submitted first-class testimonials from the T'ntca Borough Council where he had supervised a scheme, ami from fhe Wnilli 00., for whom lie had carried out importanl work. He churned to have had the experience thatl'/" Clerk of 'Works could boast otVand it lie could not take charge of tlie <>* •' k ' eewer«"e he did not know who could C"ri Taylor «e.bl he saw no reason wv Mr. Davies could not be Clerk of the Works, while Cr. Cockrell though) the Council would be Very foolish to bind i use if to Mr. Jiekclj- -1 he 'Couni.ii may pol like his .'in me "'hen they poj ifij’iie Deputy-Mj:yor *£lhl the C?ouijCi* had an engineer £pmi>etenf to supervise, and he thought by udopting the amendment the Council would save about £4OO. In conclusion he slated that he Jiad every confidence in Mr. Davies,