The Breakwater.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 283, 6 April 1889, Page 2

The Breakwater.

[TO THE BDITOB.I Sin,—l am sorry to see that the ratepayers are evidently taking so little interest in the proposed change of method in the construction ot the breakwater. In your issue of Saturday last, I notice that “ Settier " attempts to put the matter in a very unreasonable light. The very points which really are the cardinal ones, your correspondent dismisses with the contemptuous expression that they are side issues, and he says the Board has no right to anticipate anything. If there are many more ratepayers of the same mind as Settler, I do not wonder that we often have on our public bodies representatives whose ideas are not in keeping with the soundest principles of economy and efficiency. Of course it is the duty of the Board to obtain for the ratepayers the best possible work at the lowest possible price, but then the difference of opinion must arise just on those points which Settler alludes to as side issues. If the members ot the Board do not look ahead, they ought to take a back seat. Settler asks, is nqt ths Board just as liable to suffer trom emergencies as a contractor would be? Yes, certainly, but with this difference; a contractor would have to allow a large margin for emergencies, and if they did not occur, that would be so much to his benefit and less to the ratepayers' credit; while in the case of the Board, there would be nothing extraordinary to make provision for unless It actually occurred, While Settler is preaching economy, he tries to hold the members of the Board up to ridicule ; why ?— because they refuse to permit their officers to make expenditure unauthorised by the Board, I call that a sound business principle, but the further Settler enters into his subject the more weak he makes appear the side which he is trying to support, I agree with you, sir, that the Board will be acting in a most weak and mischievous manner if it does more than listen to the proposal that is shortly to be placed before them. The members themselves appear to be fully aware of this and are in no hurry to even discuss the matter, as I notice I by your reports that they took about three I hours talking over matters which might have J bean disposed of by any individual member in less than a quarter of an hour, Perhaps it was a modified stone wall, and probably Mr 1 Bennett helped it aloag.—l am, M i Haiti. April 1, 1883, 1