THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2697, 30 December 1909, Page 7

THE LOAN PROPOSALS.

COMMITTEE’S REPORT CONSIDERED BY COUNCIL. THE ENGINEER’S APPOINTMENT. At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, the following report, presented by the Finance and Works Committee, was read: — “A meeting of . the Fmanco and Works Committee was held on 22nd December, 1909, at 11 a.m., there being present the Mayor and Crs. Harris, Pettie, Somervell, Clayton, Ivirk, Darton, MSynard, and Smith. The Mayor brought up -the question or preparing specifications for trams and electric light schemes, but it was decided tJiat the matter stand down until the appointment of an engineer.. The Clerk was instructed to call tenders, to be in by 12th January next, for the formation of the road to Gentle Annie Quarry. it being l left to the Mayor to arrange re land. Engineer: The coinmitteq decided to advertise in the four centres, ‘Herald’ and. ‘N.Z. Surveyors,' Tor an engineer at a salary of £SOO per annum, his duties being outlined as un'Her: Amongst other duties the engineer must bo capable to take charge and administer the waterworks (including building new reservoir); the sewerage scheme, subject to- a consulting engineer ; tliC' construction of a train service ; the installation of electric light; all road works, including bridges; and general administration of all departments under the Council. Applicants to be mechanical as well as civil engineers. Salary, £SOO per annum. Term of engagement: Duties to be Commenced upon appointment, pnd three months’ notice on either side to terminate engagement. The engineer’s whole services to be devoted to the Council. The committee would -also suggest that necessary water pipes for extra reticulation be ordered from Home.” Cr. Harris moved that the report be not- adopted. The motion was not seconded. • Cr. Darton moved the adoption of the report, claiming that it was the result of careful consideration by the committee. Cr. Clayton seconded the motion. Cr. Harris said that his objection was to the part of the -report dealing with electric light and trams. He moved as an amendment that that portion of the report be not adopted. The Mayor seconded the amendment, which was lost on being put to the meeting. The Mayor said that it was desirable that the matter regarding the specifications fojr trams, etc., be .well considered. He moved as a further amendment that the report be adopted, with the provision that in the meantime Niven and Co. and Norman Heath and Co. be asked to supply details of their estimates on which the loan proposals were carried. He thought this was absolutely essential if they were going to be loyal to the ratepayers. He thought that the Council should be armed with the estimates of the firms upon whose figures they had carried the loan proposals. He foresaw trouble if they did not move with care, and the only people whom it would be wise to consult would be the people who had prepared the estimates. He>Would be glad to see the Council get the details from Niven and Co. and Norman Heath and Co., as if they did not they would not be doing their duty to the ratepayers. It did not follow that the Council should be bound absolutely by the details, but the Council should certainly have the details as to how the firms had made up their estimates. It was the only way to protect the estimate, and he,had no objection to holding the matter over until they had an engineer of their own, as long as in the meantime they had the details he spoke of. If Councillors adopted the report, which deprived them of the means of getting the information they should have, he must strongly disapprove. He urged Councillors to be loyal to the position they were in, and support him in the matter, especially as the voting paper had referred to the names of the firms he had mentioned in connection with the schemes. There was no reason why the firms should not supply the details of their estimates, and he urged Councillors to be loyal to himself and to the ratepayers. There were many engineers in the Dominion, but few electrical-ex-perts, and he held that it was essential to have the details from those who wire in a sound position to give them. He hoped that did not think that when an engineer' at £SOO was appointed he was going to supplant Mr. Marchant and his schemes. They must always be dependent on outside experts, and they were not appointing a consulting, but a supervising engineer, who should act as a sort of clerk of works while the schemes were being installed, and so initiate himself. The position had been put plainly, not alone to the ratepayers, but to intending contractors, that Messrs Niven and Co. would be drawing up the electric light specifications, but they would have no unfair advantage in' the matter, as public tenders would be called for the work. The Council could not depend on the work being carried out if they handed it over to a new engineer, whose merit they had yet to learn. Cr. Harris seconded the motion. Cr. Darton expressed surprise at the amendments to a report which had been carried by a majority. As Cr. Harris had stated at the committee meeting, it savored of hole and corner work to ask Messrs Niven and Co. to draw up plans’ and specifications when they would be tenderers for the work. Cr Harris protested against the making public of what had been said in committee. He denied having made use of the words attributed to him by Cr. Darton. Continuing, Cr. Darton said that the Mayor had promised publicly that not a penny of the loan money would be spent without the advice of a competent engineer. It had also' been stated at the Council table that if Messrs Niven and Co. drew up the specifications Messrs Chambers and Co. would not tender for the work. It was their bounden duty - to place themselves Entirely in the hands of the engineer they appointed, who would be something more than a mere clerk of works as suggested by the Mayor. The decision of the committee had been that the engineer be employed to draw up the specifications. Then no one, public or firm, could say that any unfair advantage was being given to any firm. Cr. Clayton also expressed surprise, at the amendments., after the practical unanimity in committee. It was right and proper that they should be bound by the; advice of their engineer, who would surely be a man of sufficient com-mon-sense to approach the electrical experts fori details before drawing np his specifications. He doubted very much the expediency of asking; any one firm, which was going to be a tenderer, to draw up the "‘specifications. He! had been assuredly an accredited representative of one firm that they would,'not tender for the work if specifications were drawn up by a competing firm;

It was advisable also to have their own engineer to sec that the different works proceeded' in harmony. He could not see why they wanted detailed estimates until they had some person competent to judge them. The wisest and best course to pursue would be to wait until they had appointed the engineer, and he desired to avoid any suspicion falling, upon the Council of unfairness or corruption. ■ / : ;

Cr., Petti© in turn deplored the amendments to the report which was practically unanimous. The difference was so slight, and it was not vital that the details should be had immediately. It was only a matter of a few weeks until they had the ongineer, -and it would give much greater satisfaction to everybody if the details and report came through an engineer and not from one particular firm. He was sure the appointed engineer would consult the firms mentioned and rightly so, and he urged the Council to adopt the report. It seemed to him a most unfortunate thing, that the amendments had been proposed, and lie must support the adoption of the report. Cr. Somervell deplored the bringing up of amendments, holding that they should not be bound to any particular firms in the matter of the loans. He had heard the Mayor assure the people that none of the money would be expended without the advice of an engineer. "He could not vote for tlie amendment as it mentioned firms, and might make the ratepayers think that there was some Tammany element being introduced into the spending of the loan money. He deplored the necessity of the discussion after the committee’s report. Cr. Smith said that as a matter of principle and promise, it was his idea that first of all an engineer must be appointed. He was sure that the engineer, if starting off from the jump, would do far better than if specifications, etc., Avere all got for him beforehand. It would not be long to wait until the engineer was appointed, and oven if they did get the details from the firms mentioned, little would be gained. He opposed the amendment. Or. Maynard favored the appointment of an engineer, and then to give him an absolutely free hand in the matter. Let the engineer get the best advice lie could possibly get, and then draw up plans and specifications. He must support the motion. The Mayor having craved the indulgence of the Council for the right to reply, said that everything appeared to hinge upon the fact that they were supposed to be going to appoint an engineer in whom they " had _ implicit faith. He could not>sit in the chair and have Councillors that had publicly promised' to back him up going back on it. The positioff was unbearable, and he saw hopeless confusion ahead. They were casting a doubt on the legality of the poll if they proceeded as they were going, as they had mentioned the firms’ names when carrying the loan. All ho wanted was to be absolutely sure that the experts would bo called upon to give the details, and if they made it a condition of the engineer’s appointment that the details be obtained from Niven and Co. and Norman Heath and Co. lie bad nothing more to say.

Several Councillors expressed the opinion that the whole discussion storm in a teacup. They were op +J.A satisfied for the engineer to got df c

from the experts named, InW* H i OA.’ wanted the engine ora to bo r.<t ] It was finally decided that - j congrep be adopted, the engineer, *l® I videcl. pointed, to obtain from Nivejiil and Norman Heath and Co. tiffifaeraifs on which they based their estimates, ■also any oilier information from other sources.