Correspondence.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43116, 11 July 1907, Page 2

Correspondence.

Ve do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents.

[To the Editor,]

Sir, —In your report contained in vour issue of the 4th inst., of the meeting of the Hungahunga Drainage Board, I must protest against the heading you have given to the matter. I am well known as the engineer of the Hungahunga District Board, and your heading is calculated to damage me in the distriot. The facts of the matter were these : At one of the meetings of the Board, at which I was present, the question of forming a certain drain for the benefit of one person was raised, and my opinion was asked about it. I emphatically objected to the construction of the work, in as much as no provision was made for the outlet from the drain and it was likely to bring down more water cn top of the contractors working below. Subsequently I received a letter from, the Clerk of the Board of an interrogatory nature, stating that the consent of the drainage contractors to the making @f the drain had been obtained and that certain members of the Board considered that with this consent, freeing the Board from responsibility, the drain in questiop might be gone on with, and asking me if I would send him specifications for the work. I think I was justified in taking the letter as an inquiry for my opinion under the circumstances of the consent of the contractors being obtained, and in replying to the Clerk I stated I was sorry I could not see my way to fall in , with the suggestion, as I would not be acting in the interests of the Board if such a thiug is allowed. In previous conversations with the Board I had, in objecting to this matter, informed them that I could not recommend, or agree to it on my own responsibility, and if they liked to order it and absolve me from all responsibility well and good, and I would do as they asked, but if the discretion were left to me, I oould not agree to it, as it was opposed to the first principles of engineering. It was there decided to leave it to my discretion, and even with the letter from the contractors I considered the Work objectionable, consent gave no adequate safeguard to the Board, hence my letter. The question of drainage of the large areas of the Hungahunga swamp is in any case a difficult one, and the Government engineer has to be satisfied before the £2,000 voted by the Government for the work can be paid. I naturally have by ho means a pleasant task, but I have always considered the interest of the district in my recommendations, and with a good deal of opposition where I should have received assistance, I have carried matters up to the present point, and am anxious to see that the whole business is carried through in a systematic manner.—l am, etc., 0. C. Otway, 99, Queen-street, Auckland,