216
(84)
1083
5
7
9
1090
1
3
4
these.
Q-And the Assistant Engineers have not assisted you ?
A-Not as regards preliminary design for these works. I have mostly made all
Q-Then the Assistant Engineers are employed supervising the execution of the
work?
A--At present. The Law Courts have been designed outside the Department, and the Government took the responsibility, of course. The Assistant Engineer, in that case, is supervising only.
Q-And he simply sees that the terms of the contract and specifications are ad- hered to?
A-Yes. In the case of the Harbour Office and the Western Market, Mr. FISHER has designed the building.
Q--And does he do all the measurements and bills necessary ?
A-Yes.
By Mr. Thurburn.--Do you think it would be a good thing for the Public Works Department, in building a large work such as the new Post Office, to give it to public competition instead of giving it to the officers of the Department ?
A-As regards design, perhaps, but we are capable of carrying out any works. The officers of the Public Works Department are mostly engineers, more than architects.
Q-And it would be better to be designed by an architect ?
A-That is my opinion.
By the Chairman.-Is there no architect in the Public Works Department?
A-Now we have Mr. FISHER and Mr. Mossop.
Q-Is it your idea that the design should be put up to competition ?
A-Not necessarily now, because we have two qualified architects. But up till the time they came here we had all been engineers.
By Mr. Thurburn. -My idea is you have an architect in the Public Works Department, which, I suppose, is essential now for ordinary works. But for a city like this, getting larger buildings, you want to have the best architect you can get. What I want to ask you is: Don't you think it would be better in the public interest to put all architectural buildings such as the Post Office up to competition by outside archi- tects ?
The Chairman:-Do you mean to confine it to the Colony or open it to the world?
Mr. Thurburn:-Not necessarily to the Colony. I presume the architects who competed for it would carry out the work, and you would have the opportunity of get- ting the best style of architecture.
ask.
A-For designing. I believe the Public Works would make better work. Q-But still, the conditions could be laid down as to that. That is all I want to
By Mr. Shewan.-It would be dearer work ?
A-It would be dearer work, but it would be better work by the Public Works Department.
Q-Are the Public Works Extraordinary unusually heavy this year? A-They are heavier this year. They are growing every year.