Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 444

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Q.-On the ground that there is too much work for him to do?

A.--I think he would have to trust so much to the men in charge.

Q.-Hon. A. LISTER.-But measured work being reduced as much as possible, and everything done by contract whenever possible, would not then one man be able to look after the remainder, the small amount of work that happened to be left?

A.-It is now. You cannot reduce measured work to smaller dimensions than it is

now. Just conceive the difference to myself and the Officers of my department between contract work and measured work. In the one case you make a contract for a lump sum. The man finishes, gets his $1,000 or whatever the amount may be, and there is no trouble. In the case of measured work there is a great deal of labour and drudgery; the foundations have to be excavated and measured, and the foundations have to be laid and measured

and inspected. In the case of drains the drain has to be filled in and the amount calcu- lated for the filling in, so that really on selfish grounds one would never encourage measured work in preference to contract work, which gives you no trouble whatever.

Q.—But yet there is so much measured work left that one man would not be able to see to it ?

A.-I think so. The measured work is in reality restricted to drains and all under- ground work. That is really the only branch of the department where we cannot tell what money it is going to cost us, because we may go through soft earth or through granite, and if it is earth it is paid at so much, if granite at so much, and you cannot give an estimate before-hand.

ern?

Q.-Could two men do it, one taking the Eastern district and the other the West-

A. Yes, that might do.

Q-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-And would not that tend to lessen the number of men employed as Overseers?

A.-Well, you would not pay them to supervise works.

Q.-The CHAIRMAN.-We have been told there have been rumours about in the Colony, vague rumours, as to the dishonesty of the Overseers; that it is said by people, who don't give particulars, that they have opportunities of getting squeezes and so on; and one or two witnesses, if I remember rightly, told us they attributed these rumours to their peculiar position, that is to say, the peculiar nature of the duties, and the oppor- tunities which that position offers to the Overseers for corruption. Well, they have explained to us in evidence that, with reference to all the Government works, contract or quality, the same man who supervises the carrying out of the work from day to day, and who is in daily contact with the Contractor, is the man, and the only man, who certifies to the amount of work done. That is so, is it not?

A.-No; it is totally incorrect.