A BOROUGH COUNCILLOR'S COMPLAINT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9595, 15 September 1909, Page 5

A BOROUGH COUNCILLOR'S COMPLAINT.

THE ENGINEER SPEAKS TO THE POINT.

A CASE FOR MUTUAL RESPECT.

During the proceedings at the Bor- I ough Council meeting last evening, Cr Temple said that he had a serious matter to bring forward. At the last meeting of the Council (presided over by Cr Elliott) he had moved a resolution that certain works be done in Pownall street. The resolution was carried and the engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of such work, and bring i 4; down at the next meeting of the Works Committee. When this Committee met (Cr Pauling presiding) he (Cr Temple) was informed that in effect the engineer refused to give the information. Mr Mansfield: Pardon me. If you will allow me to say so it will be some time, if ever, before you will get it from me. Cr Temple, continuing, said that the engineer was instructed to submit his report at the next meeting of the Works Committee. The Mayor said that as he was not present at either of the meetings referred tu he was not going to express an opinion on the matter. Cr Temple: I want to ask the engineer, through you,' why he refused to give the information./ The Engineer, in reply to Cr Temple, said that there was abso ■ lutely no reason why he should not tell the Council. In the first place, some months ago, the Borough Council requested him to prepare a report upon forming Pownall street. He prepared a plan, and in his report he stated that it would be better to wait until the woik in other streets had been completed, and thus see if there would be any of the £25,000 loan available for the Pownall street work. This report was adopted. Subsequently he was instructed to prepare another report, concerning the best means of formimr and metalling Pownall street, which he did, and submitted hia estimate of the work. In view of the fact that there was no provision on the estimates the Borough Council decided not to carry out the works, and in view of this resolution he told the chairman (Cr Elliott) at the meeting that the motion was not in order, but Cr Elliott introduced it under the cover of a new motion. Whilst respect was due from himself to the Council he bad every right to expect respect from tbem, and was entitled to receive every courtesy from the whole of the Council in his duties. Apart from the stultifying resolutions of the Council another reason existed why the information had not been forthcoming, and that was that if it was competent for a member of the Council to indicate to the Borough Engineer how many yards upon a given langtb of road should be used it seemed quite superfluous for that member to seek to know the cost of metal per yard. He had already given considerable time to the report concerning Pownall street, and time was of more importance to the ratepayers than waiting upon a member of the Borough Council, as appeared to be desired, in the capacity of a subsidiary engineer. Cr Elliott said that according to this* report he (the speaker) should have been dictated to by the engineer. The motion as proposed by Cr Temple provided that the woik in Pownall street should be carried out at less expense. The Mayor asked where the money for the work was to come from. They had already decided that the rates must be kept down. It was quite impossible to do work the money for which had not Been provided, and business men ought to know it. Cr Elliott: We are not business men! ' The Mayor said that no local body in New Zealand would allow a discussion on new works not previously provided for, and he was not going ] to do it. ! Cr Morris contended that the Council was quite justified in spending a small sum of money out of the overdraft to put the street in order, as it was in a disgraceful condition. Cr Elliott: There is the complaint of the engineer not having carried out his instructions. I The Mayor said he was not going to allow any more discussion on the

matter. Cr Ewington: You are trying to gag the Council. The Mayor intimated that he was not. Cr Ewington: Well, you are trying to gag me. At this stage the Mayor asked if there was any other business to transact, and none being forthcoming, he declared the meeting closed.