COUNCIL ANNOYED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 694, 20 June 1929, Page 15

COUNCIL ANNOYED

STATEMENT ON DRAINAGE SUBSTANTIATION WANTED The engineer to the Takapuna Borough Couucil, Mr. A. Slinger, is to be asked to substantiate or withdraw his statement regarding the Devonport drainage system. The Devonport Borough Council, on the motion of the Mayor, Mr. E. Aldridge, made this decision last evening. Til discussion at a Takapuna Council meeting a statement was made that Devonport’s drainage had been wrecked through the methods adopted for house connections. Mr. Aldridge insisted that it was wrong for the engineer of a neighbouring borough to make such statements, particularly when the facts did not justify them. Devonport drainage was working well, and all work was carried out in accord with the Health Department’s regulations and under the supervision of the borough officials. Cr. Hislop said that he was sure that so far as Devonport was concerned all was not well, and instanced some of his own observations. Mr. Slinger had made his reported remarks in the heat of an argument, but everyone knew that he was a competent drainage engineer who had given Takapuna a splendid drainage system. Cr. Cassels-Brown said the criticism might lead people to think that they would get typhoid and other diseases if they came to Devonport. Cr. T. Walsh said that it would be more dignified if the council issued an official denial of the reported statement and had it brought under the notice of the Takapuna Council. It appeared that the council was now after the engineer and was not concerned with stating its own defence. The Mayor denied this and the motion was carried.