DRUMMOND V, SMITH.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1335, 28 July 1883, Page 2

DRUMMOND V, SMITH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I think the thanks of the public are due to you for the leader you gave in the above case on Thursday last, and 1 quite agree with you that a chairman of public works ought not to take upon himself the passing of any accounts, nor the authorising any extra expenditure, without a vote is first taken from the Council ; in fact, there is a minute on the book to the effect that no work shall be authorised at any time, nor any sums paid, without being first passed by the Council. The public works committee has power to recommend payments on extras to the Council, but no mure, Cr Smith is not a practical man—he was elected chairman in preference to any other member, as he is a better clerk, and better able to write reports, &c., than any other member of the committee ; but he has no more power than any other member. He never exceeded his duty in speaking of Mr Drummond’s carelessness re the engine shed —if he had done his duty, he would have condemned the lumps of clay, smoke-dried, and called bricks ; also the way tho building was erected—the iron was to have had two full laps, whilst it really only has a lap and a half in most places. Cr Smith received a letter from a member of the Council, who was leaving town, to inspect the bricks before they were used ; he failed to do eo, although it was the duty of the engineer to see that all material was of the best quality, and pass it, or otherwise, before it was used. Sir, if Mr Drummond had done his duty, there would not have been a shilling for extras to pay ; why did’nt the plan for pipes extend out to deep water level ? The pipes did not want u fall, only lying level from the well out into deep water so as to enable the water to flow in, not to rws, as running water always draws silt with it. Mr Drummond cannot justify himself in what he has done in reference to the shed ; nor in writing about Cr. Smith in the way he has, lie ought to have known better ; but as he has thought proper to attack a councillor, he must abide the consequences, which will be, who shall resign, councillors or their engineer ? One must; but I fear the latter’s nest is so much disturbed that they will have to get a change. I think it is high time they tried someone else, as the errors of late years have cost the council more than their engineer’s salary.—Yours &c., — An Observer. P.S.—I look upon the engine and shed as one of the greatest pieces of wastefulness ever seen. It is neither use nor ornament, except to a very few ; whilst its cost was enormous.