MAKOTUKU CHURCH CONTRACT.

Bush Advocate, Volume XII, Issue 1725, 25 July 1899, Page 4

MAKOTUKU CHURCH CONTRACT.

(To TFIE EDITOR.) Sir, — In Saturday's issue you publish tho balance sheot re the Makotuku Church contract, which is the first time that I have seen it, Being tho contractor, this is very strange, having had no word from the architect on the matter, though it should have been settled mouths since, but the architect took tho matter in hia own hands, ao I could not do anything, as 1 know nothing about the accounts until I saw them in your paper. Aa to tha contract, my tender was as folLws : — For completion of tho building, excupt windows, price £297 ; price allowed for timber, £106; leaviug a balance of £191. Tho timber was to be delivered on the Bite. The agreement was 75 per cent as „work proceeded, which was never fu "filled. """ I~ T<jceiFed_ ojulj^ £50, which I paid for wages and ironmongery. The joinery work, which was far more expensive than tho specifications mentioned, was ordered hy the architect without my consent, as I declined to sign the telograni as lo price, which I can prove, tho work far exceeding the specifications. As to paying Mr Olsen, I have a letter stating that the money was kept back for the payment of all wages, including painting;. As to tha meu not doing their duty, I should be a judge about that. Wo had to leavsi thu job twice through not getting the proper orders for alterations and waiting for windows. The architect having visited the building »nly about fjur times in four months, and then only for about one hour, I cannot see how he should know anything about the men. My estimate for labor was £100. Considering that we bad to hand dress all inside work I found this was not sufficient. Tho following I consider as over charged:— Freight oa timber, £3 10s Gd ; cash pa:d to Mr Kobinson for kauri timber, £3 15s 7d ; ditto to Wilding and Co., £11 4s Id; Holt, timbor account, £35; difference in locks, 15s 3d ; timber sold from ground, £1 10s; extra on contract price, £2; total.. £57 15s 3d. The architect says he refutes to pay the balance of wages, but as the claims were put in at the same time as John Grimwood's, I da not think but that the vestry will pay them, as they were faithfully earned, and wo all did our beat for them.— l am, etc., James Gkuivtood, Contractor.