UNIVERSITY HEATING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28829, 25 February 1959, Page 20

UNIVERSITY HEATING

“M.P. Misled By Ministry”

“The sooner the Ministry of Works faces up to the obvious facts and halts any further construction work on the boiler, the less expense will be saddled on to the taxpayers,” says a statement by the Ilam Residents’ Action Committee on the subject of the coal-burning heating plant designed for the new Canterbury University at Riccarton. “Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P., was quoted as saying at the residents’ protest meeting on Thursday that the decision on a coal burner was made public in May, 1957, and that the order was placed then. The committee feels the information given Mr Connelly by the Ministry of Works was incorrect, and perhaps even misleading.” says the statement. “The committee wonders if Mr Connelly’s information that all equipment for the coal burning plant was already in New Zealand was correct. Inquiries indicated that it is not all here yet. “The largest single item of plant is the boiler. It is understood that tenders were called by the Ministry of Works in May, 1958, closed in July, 1958, and that a tender was let to an overseas firm in October or November last year, a contract clause providing that delivery should be made inside sixteen months. “The committee doubts if the boiler is in New Zealand.”

Mr Connelly has also said that part of the reticulation system was installed in the engineering school. The committee understands that this system could be used for heating by coal, oil. gas or electricity. “We believe there was a letout clause in the contract, providing for a penalty, say of 10 per cent, of contract price, if the contract was cancelled. If the boiler has not been completed, the 10 per cent, penalty would apply only to the cost of the completed sections,” the statement says.