THE The Pukekohe & Waiuku Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1916 WANTED AN ENGINEER!

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 211, 22 September 1916, Page 2

THE The Pukekohe & Waiuku Times. PUBLISHED ON TUESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1916 WANTED AN ENGINEER!

" We nolfiing extenuate, nor tet down auaht in malice."

The Pukekohe Borough Council at their meeting on Wednesday once again had before them the knotty problem of the re-modelling of the town's water supply. It will be remembered that in effect, altb ugh no actual reaulution ot appointment was adopted, the Council prior to the loan pell decided that Mr Wyatt, the Borough Waterworks Engineer, shoul J carry out the work under the supervision of Mr D. W. McArthur, who had previously under instructions from the Council reported on Mr Wyatt's scheme. On the eve of the loan poll, however, as the outcome of a request made by the Chamber of Commerce that further expert advice should be secured before Mr Wyatt's scheme was instituted a promise was given by members of the Waterworks Committee that if a wi-h to that effect was expressed by the ratepayers in the form of a petition subsequent to the poll it would be given effect to. On Wednesday the petition was forthcoming, signed by 216 ratepayers. In the discussion that ensued thereon no forward steps were taken, an argeement being finally arrived at that the matter should be adjourned for furthar consideration next Wednesday. The main difficulty ot the position is that the Council [are placed, by promise given unthinkingly and on the spur of the moment, in tec rather invidious position ol"being requested, to call in anothur expert after offer log the post of Advisory Engineer to Mr McArthur. The aspect of affairs hap, however, very materially changed since the poll was taken and since the petition was first circulated. The ratepayers, we believe, had evsry confidence in Mr McArthur's capabilities, and the real objection was that in his capacity as Engincci to the I'iako County Council, with residence at Te Aroha, it was moßt improbable that he could Bpare, or would be allowed by the authority of which he was an official, to give the necessary and proper time to control the installation of the new water scheme in Pukekohe. This week, however, by reason of the absence of Government grants the Piako County Council as an act of retrenchment have terminated Mr McArthur's appointment as their engineer. In the event of Mr McArthur taking up private practice in bis profession he would be in a position to overcome the objection we have referred to by 'giving an assurance that adequate time could be devoted to duties in Puekkohe and under such circumstances we see no reason why tne petition should not be withdrawn and the Council's appointment of Mr McArthur be agreed to by all parties. Further, Mr McArthur's advice as a practicaland skilled engineer could be utilised to advantage in regard to the borough's roading scheme. Wrangling and strife have bad too much sway in and if now unity of action and opinion could be brought about so much the better it would be for the welfare of the town.