NEW CITY ENGINEER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 821, 15 November 1929, Page 7

NEW CITY ENGINEER

QUESTION OF SELECTION NO FINALITY YET A method for the selection of the new city engineer from among 75 applicants was agreed to by the City Council last evening. The Mayor. Mr. G. Baildon. moved that he, with four chairmen of committees —CTs. .1. Dempsey. T. Bloodworth. A. J. Eutrieaii. and .1. R. Paterson —assisted by Crs. Ellen Melville. G. G. Ashley. \Y. L. Casey. E. J. Phelan, and M. J. Bennett, be set up as a selection committee to reduce the 75 to 12. and report to the whole council in three weeks. Cr. B. L. Bag nail protested that no new councillor had been given a place on the selection committee. Cr. J. FT London suggested that no committee he set up until all councillors had had a chance of perusing the whole 75 applications. He asked fur three weeks’ delay. hi seconding Cr. London's proposal, Cr. \V. H. Murray remarked that every councillor had a responsibility to the citizens in the selection of the most important of the council's officers. That the usual procedure was being followed was the statement of Cr. M. J. Coyle, who, however, sympathised with Cr. Bagnall’s views. “When we were appointing the last engineer, we had a sackful of applications.” remarked Cr. A. J. Entrican. All were printed, and sent round to councillors, and it took us weeks to finalise the appointment.” He pointed out that any councillor had the right to suggest a name which might not have been among the last twelve. The amendment was lost, and Cr. Lundon moved the further amendment that the Mayor convene a special meeting. This was also rejected. Cr. Ellen Melville and Cr. T. Bloodworth each thought the committee too large. The Mayor’s motion was carried, and Cr. Bagnall's name added to the committee.