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-In what respects have you experienced delays ?
A-Such as getting replies to letters in reference to applications for Crown land, and other things that only crop up in a Department like the Public Works Department in a Colony such as Hongkong.
Q-Have you found these delays frequent or exceptional ?
A-Well, I should say they are rather exceptional. At the same time I should say these exceptional delays had reference rather to important matters, not to the ordi- nary routine work of the office.
Q -So far as the ordinary routine of the Department is concerned, have you found that it has been attended to fairly promptly?
A-I do not know that I have any fault to find with that. Of course, you are rather springing on me. I did not know what I was to be called upon to give evidence
on.
Q
If you
do not feel ready to answer, and would like time to think over it, you can of course do so.
A-I am only too glad to give you any assistance I can. I had experience of public works before I came out here. I served my articles in a large Municipal Engineer's Office, and I was in the Borough Engineer's Office at Leeds for several years before I came here.
Q
As regards delays, you think that, so far as routine work is concerned, you have not had much to complain about?
A-No.
Q-You say that in certain more important matters-unusual applications I sup- pose you refer to-that you have found delays?
A-Yes, I have found delays.
Q-What do you think these delays have been due to? Is there any special reason for these delays ?-
A-Well, I do not know. Such matters as I am referring to, I should say are matters that are really brought before the personal attention of the Director of Public Works. They are things that must go before him, and that he could not delegate to a subordinate officer.
Q-And do you think that the matters in which there has been delay required a great deal of consideration ?
A-No doubt they have required a great deal of consideration.
Q-But do you think they could have been expedited in any way, or is it in their nature to require delay?
A-I don't think it is necessary that long delays should have taken place, because you would certainly think that the Director of Public Works could be relieved of a lot of-I will not call it exactly routine work. Take Mr. CHATHAM, the same with Mr. ORSMBY, and Mr. BROWN-they have had to give a lot of their time to the consider- ation of comparatively paltry matters that could be done by a subordinate. The time of these gentlemen is of more value to the Colony than to waste it in this way. had a properly qualified man as a subordinate, he could deal with these things.
Q-
If you
You think that delays that have occurred would not occur if some of the work was delegated to subordinate officers?
A-Properly qualified subordinate officers.