Sessional_Paper_1902 — Page 312

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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.