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Q-You are talking about payments, I am talking about measurements. When a man comes in and charges you for 200 square yards of work, do you check that mea- surement ?
A-If it was a single job I would check the measurement.
Q-Who has to do that?
A-The Assistant Engineer.
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Q-You don't do it ?
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A-In cases, yes; but I have very little of that to do.
Q-Somebody told us they measured the work and they checked it.
A--That is not in the Public Works Extraordinary; these contracts are lump sum
We only check how much to pay the men on account.
contracts.
Q-There is no question of checking the measurements ?
A-Only so far as checking on account. It does not affect the lump sum.
Q-Explain what you mean by checking the work once every four times.
A-Every four months I will satisfy myself as to the total amount done.
Q-In that long list of work you gave us, are there not a great many very small jobs?
A-No, very few.
Q-Is there not a latrine there?
A-There is only one latrine-two or three thousand dollars.
Q-How often do you visit every one of these jobs?
A-Taipo, once in three weeks, I walk down the road. The Assistant Engineer visits it often, and spends a couple of days a week there.
Q--And you are of opinion, although not overworked personally, that the work would be better done if you had more men ?
A--Yes, certainly.
Q-And the work must be suffering at present for the want of attention?
A-To some extent.
By Mr. Master. With regard to the new Post Office, have you prepared plans
for that?
A-I have prepared in my time two plans for the Post Office.
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Are you going to supervise the erection of the Law Courts ?
A-I supervised part of the foundations. I don't know what other arrangements
will be made.
Q-And with regard to the Post Office, you don't know ?
A-I don't know.
Q-If you had to supervise these two jobs, would it take up all your time ?
A-Unless I had Assistant Engineers.
Q-Could the present staff of the Public Works Extraordinary take in hand the Post Office and the Law Courts and the other work?
A-I should say no.