THE COUNTY ENGINEER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 13 August 1913, Page 5

THE COUNTY ENGINEER.

AND COUNTY SUPERVISION. AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION;; At the meeting, of the Masterton County Council Cr. Patchett moved, in accordance with' notice given, that an overseer be; appointed for the ridings of Alfredton and Upper Tauern, at a salary, of £175 per year, and. that the salary of the engineer be reduced to £250" per yeai\ ;

Cr. Patchett stated that nearly the whole- of the r councillors would agree that they required better supervision in the outlying districts.

Cr. Foreman: He lives out there!

Cr'. Patchett said he had only seen the engineer once in seven years. The experience in the Alfredton riding had been that the engineer was of very little value to them outside the supervision of the construction of bridges. He (Cr. Patchett) thought better results would be obtained by employing two overseers. The engineer's salary was £450, and the cost of his motor car would 'be ;another" £IOO per year. Cr Patchett thought? they would better (supervision,; and at a cheaper, rate, .by- having two overseers. The" motor .car could not be taken over the clay roads of the backblocks. Cr, Patchett thought it was unfair to the engineer, and unfair to the ratepayers that the present,condition of affairs should continue, The engineer, had at present to cover about 600 square miles. This was too much*for one man. The Eketahuna County overr seer had to cover only about 150 square miles. . -•■

Cr Cross seconded the motion, pro forma? but stated; that be would vote against it. Cr. Miller expressed surprise at the Upper Taueru riding being brought into this matter. He had not been consulted on the question. He thought the least that could have been done was for Cr. Patchett to have spoken to him. He intended voting against' the resolution, _ "Cr. Cross considered* su"jJ~ pervision in the Alfredtoa Riding, was. very defective. In his opinion, a lot of money was wasted in this direction. He consiijeredv ho#ever; that the difficulty could be met by appointing gangers and procuring a couple of teams for use in the Alfredton riding. "' Or. Toogood stated that the matter had already been thrashed out bv the Council. Less than'.twelve months ago the Council had decided to procure a motor car. He did not think it necessary that they should discuss the question again until the motor car had been given g, fair trial. He (Cr. Toogood) had heard it reported that Cr. Patchett had made _ a pledge to the ratepayers to get rid of the engineer. He would like to know if this were true. Cr. Patchett made no immediate reply. The chairman (Cr. Welch) said ha was going to oppose the resolution. Had Cr. Patchett not been a young member, ke would have spoken plainly on the matter of his having brought the Upper Taueru riding -into the discussion without consulting Cr.- Miller, The proposal' of Cr. Patchett was impracticable. He (the chairman) would mot tolerate it for a moment. In no other local body* was such a scheme in. operation. Cr. Welch pointed out that the Alfredton riding had received : fair treatment in the past. He asked what would happen if the Council were landed into an action over the inefficiency of an overseer. The whole Council would be responsible. He agreed with Cr. Cross that . there might be a ganger appointed. Cr. Toogood was surprised that the supervision in the Alfredton riding was not better.

Cr. Foreman stated that he could not vote tor the resolution. He considered that the arrangement come to twelve months ago should be given a fair trial. >A"t the ssime time, he considered that the supervision in the County was "rotten." There was mot, in his opinion, a County in the Dominion that had such defective supervision: Cr. Foreman said he had heard it reported that hoth~Cr. Cross and Cr. Patchett were pledged to get rid of the engineer.

Cr. Cross (heatedly): You should not believe all you hear! So far as I am'concerned, it's'a lie! Cr. .. Patchett replied at some length to the statements made hy previous speakers. He denied absolutely having given a pledge to get rid of the engineer.

Cr. Foreman: I'm glad to hear it. Cr. Patchett urged that the supervision was not what it should be.

Cr. Toogood said he was pleased to hear that Crs. Patchett and Cross had denied using the words attributed to them. He (Cr. Toogood) had heard from a responsible settler of Alfredton that Cr. Patchett had pledged himself to get rid of the engineer, and that Cr. Cross knew, something about it. Cr. Cross challenged Cr. Toogood to meet him on the platform at Alfredton and prove that he (Cr. Cross) had pledged himself to get rid of the engineer. ~ Cr. Toogood: I did not say yon made such a peldge. ' Cr.'Cross..; No, you mention hearsay "statements, which" is worse! The motion of Cr. Patchett was then put to the meeting, and lost on the voices.