AN UNEXPECTED REPORT.

Shannon News, 14 June 1927, Page 2

AN UNEXPECTED REPORT.

PECULIAR POSITION IN COUNTY COUNCIL. CHAIRMAN AND ENGINEER NOT CONSULTED.

Wliat was described as a supplementary report from the Works Committee was referred to at the meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday. It was not made public, and after a discussion as to the regularity or otherwise of the methods by which it had been prepared, it was referred back to the Works Committee, to give them an opportunity of consulting the County Engineer (Mr. W. N. Anderson) on the matters contained in it. The report, which was not listed on the order paper, was first mentioned bv Cr. Ryder, who asked the Chairman (Cr. G. A. Monk) if it would be discussed. “I have been through the report, replied the chairman; “and the method taken to get it was, perhaps, not quitewhat it should have been —that is, as far as I can gather. No duly constituted meeting was "called. Lmy self, as an ex. officio member of the committee, should have had notification.

that such an examination was going to be made, and I should have had an opportunity to be present. There is much good in the report, and much with which I’ agree; but I was challenged twelve months ago with trying to introduce Star Chamber methods. I was able to prove that I had not introduced anything of the kind; but we can almost say that this report, was got as the result of a somewhat secret conclave, and that the opportunity was taken to make a seret visit, as far as I am concerned. Cr. Ryder: You , are quite right there, Mr. Chairman. Continuing, the* Chairman said that this not only applied to himself, but also to the Engineer. Mr. Anderson did not know that the committee were making this inspection. It they had discussed it with the Engineer and told mm' that they wanted to make an inspection, without him, lie could not have made any objection. But the committee did not do that; and Mr. Anderson knew nothing about it until, after they got their report out. The speaker believed that in the back of their minds their object was to do the most good as far as the local body was concerned. “I must say,” added the Chairman “that you did not adopt exactly the method you should have done in making this inspection. I have not even arrived at. a conclusion as to whether I should allow this report to be released. You have placed me in a very difficult position. lam the man rvlio has to work rvilh the staff, and I have to bear the brunt of these things; and yet I know nothing about something that is being done by a section of the Council. At least you should have notified me, even if you did not notify the engineer. At least y° u should have felt you lacked a certain confidence as far as I am concerned, I do not know. I would have been quite willing to have discussed the matter; but I resent this being done without in any way being notified-and without its being a duly constituted meeting. There are possibly good explanations to offer, but I have to seriously consider my position and that of the staff, if this sort of thing is going to happen. What 1 thought of doing was this: I thought it better to refer the report back to the Works Committee, and that they should consult with the engineer and bring down a concrete report and recommend that certain things be done. This will come from a committee at a duly constituted meeting. You will have the satisfaction of knowing whether your Engineer agrees with it or not, and you take him into your confidence.” Cr. Ryder said he humbly apologised for having omitted the Chairman from the Works Committee meeting. This had been entirely overlooked by him self, and if every other member was -honest he would say the same.. It was never mentioned to him that they should have the Chairman’s*presence, and the speaker overlooked the fact that the Chairman was a member of the committee. He hoped the Chairman would take this apology. The committee felt at the last meeting of the Council that the Chairman threw on the Committtee the onus of any errors that might occur; and the Committee got together and conferred, and they thought they should go round by themselve-' and have a talk and see if any loopholes existed, and put recommendations 1 o the Council. / The Chairman: I aeeept the apology. It does not get us out of the difficulty altogether. Cr. Catley: It, is an absolute oversight. I recognised before to-day that there was a little illegality in what we

did. There was no ulterior motive in taking the eourse we did. We thought, after the Chairman’s statement at the last meeting, that there would be some thousands shortage in the Te Horo com. pletion, and we should go into the question of saving. The Chairman: I said you could function further.

Cr. Catley: We went into those questions irrespective of methods. We should decide whether to discuss this at all. I shall be only too pleased for it to be referred back, and go into it with the Engineer; .but members talk merle freely among themselves than when there is an official head of a department present. I don’t feel a bit; ashamed of anything that occurred. i am satisfied more than ever, since being over the roads, that there is need of it. I shall not alter my opinion; but the report may be altered considerably. Cr. Kilsby alsoo admitted an oversight in regard to the Chairman. The reason for the Committee’s hurry in going into the matter was to enable it to be brought before the Council so that it could be proceeded with, the wrongs lighted, and improvements effected.

The Chairman: Whatever you have done, you have inspected an organisation created by your Engineer. This Council is not prepared to accept a report from the committee unless the engineer had Something to say about it. You may say that certain improvements can be made in certain places, and the Council may adopt it. Then either the Engineer's organisation is broken down after he has built it up, or he

must be heard. Either we have confidence in him or we have not. - Why I think the report should go back to the committee is that you should discuss- it, clause by clause, with him and filing down a concrete proposal. I have discussed certain clauses with him, end we know that improvements can be effected. In many cases you,will find some factor working which will show that it cannot be done.

Cr. Ryder: I thought it would come lief ore the Engineer when it was being discussed.

Cr. McLeavey: It should go back to the Works Committee, considering that some of the members were not notified to attend.The Chairman stated that he had not had time to make a proper study of the report. He received a copy of it on Thursday, in Palmerston. He would like to have time to consider it.

On the motion of Cr. Ryder, it was decided that a special meeting of the Works Committee be held on Wednesday, June 29th, to consider the report.