WANGANUI TRAMWAYS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 776, 24 September 1929, Page 9

WANGANUI TRAMWAYS

COUNCIL DISCUSSES CHANGE IN ORGANISATION | CENTRALISING CONTROL From Our Own Correspondent WANGANUI, Today. j I Questions affecting tramway policy j 1 and progress throughout the Domin- j 1 ion were discussed at a special meet- j ing of the Wanganui City Council last j evening. The council met to con- \ sider the dismissal of the engineer and ! the transfer of the tramway Clerical j staff to the City Council offices, i Although the motion in this direc- ! tiou was defeated and the question j referred to a special committee, the 1 debate revealed that the trend of the council’s policy had beentchanged by the introduction of hydro-electricity and of extended bus services. In support of the motion it was con- ! tended that hydro-electricity rendered unnecessary the position of engineer, as there was no longer an electricity generating plant to tend. Also, as in I Wanganui, the engineers often had the post O'* manager bestowed on them when they were unable to fulfil such a job. The Mayor. Mr. W. J. Rogers, pointed out that the man might be a highly qualified engineer, but a bad accountant. , Likewise, a competent engineer might not be a good business j manager or traffic director. It was ! stated that the foremen in the departi ments were capable of attending to : the technical work and the reports , necessary to the Public Works Dej partment could be furnished by the I city engineer. All that was necessary was a “live-wire” at the head to direct the traffic and organise the service. Regarding the transfer of the clerical staff it was urged that under the city clerk’s department the work would be centralised, and thus economised and more efficient work guaran- : teed. A move toward centralisation was needed in the city business.