No Appeal On Bluff Decision

Press, Volume C, Issue 29633, 2 October 1961, Page 12

No Appeal On Bluff Decision

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, October 1. The decision of the arbitrator in the dispute between the Southland Harbour Board and Societe Nationale de Travaux Publics was not subject to appeal, the chairman of the board (Mr E. N. Adams) said today.

"The board has now received advice from the arbitrator, the former Commissioner of Works (Mr E. R. McKillop) of the amount he has awarded in the claim made by the board’s former harbour construction con-

tractors, S.N.T.P. and associate companies,” said Mr Adams.

“He has ruled that of the total amount claimed (£777,929) the sum Of £385.688 (which included £4lBB agreed to during the arbitration) should be paid by the board.

“The contractors made their claim for extra payment on the grounds that they encountered ‘adverse physical conditions’ unexpectedly and had been misled by the information supplied. “Conversely,” said Mr Adams, “the board, in brief, contended that an experienced contractor should have interpreted the available information correctly. “Detailed submissions were laid before the arbitrator during the three-week bearing in June. His decision is now announced and is not subject to appeal,” Mr Adams said.