WATER AND DRAINAGE. EXTENSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 9009, 19 December 1907, Page 5

WATER AND DRAINAGE. EXTENSION.

MR LAING-MEASON ENGAGED

TO REPORT

A special meeting of the Masterton Borough Council was held last evening to consider a letter received from Mr Laing-Meason, in response to the Council's request as to what terms he would be prepared to report and prepare estimates on the proposed extension of the existing water supply and drainage in Masterton. Mr Laing-Meason, in his letter, said that his fee for a comprehensive report, with estimates ot' cost, on the proposal, would be £l5O, including all travelling and other personal expenses; but the Council would have to bear the cost of any analyses that may be necessary and of any labour or other expenses connected with the investigations. He understood also that he should be given access to all plans, levels, reports, or other data connected the works now in the Council's possession.. He should be able to commence the preliminary investigations very shortly, and he would submit his report on or before April Ist next. The Mayor considered that the terms embodied in the letter were very reasonable, and he moved that the offer be accepted. Cr Temple considered that £l5O was a large sum to pay for a report 1 when already two reports hsd been received by the Council on the subject—one from Mr Napier Bell and the other from Mr D. Dobson. Cr Elliott considered that Mr Dobson's report on the extension of the water was a very comprehensive one, and the Council could surely obtain what they required from the two reports already received. Cr Ewington was opposed to paying £l5O for the report, since a good deal of the work required had already been accomplished. He urged that Mr Leslie Reynolds should be asked to report, as he.ranked as one of the foremost engineers in New Zealand, and had had some large schemes in hand.

Cr Pauling said he was under the impression, when it was decided to procure expert opinion, that Councillors understood that the new report was to verify and amplify the reports already held by the Council. Cr Haughey, in supporting the motion, said he considered the amount asked by Mr Laing-Meason was a very reasonable one. Cr Ewington moved, as an amandment, that Mr Leslie Reynolds be asked to furnish a report on the water and .drainage extension. This was seconded by Cr Elliott. Crs Prentice and Yarr urged that the work should be gone on with at once, and opposed the amendment as a device to waste time. The amendment was then put to the meeting and lost, only Crs Elliott, Temple and Ewington voting for it. Cr Ewington moved a further amendment that the letter from Mr Laing-Meason be held over until further details were received as to the nature of the report. This was not seconded. The resolution was then put to the meeting and agreed to.