Board seeks talks with pipe supplier

Press, 26 July 1984, Page 7

Board seeks talks with pipe supplier

A shortage of pipes had been the possible cause of delays to several drainage contracts a meeting of the Christchurch Drainage Board was told yesterday. A meeting with the main pipe supplier in Christchurch, Hume Industries, Ltd, should be held to arrange a uniform supply of pipes, said a board member, Mr R. B. Wright. The board’s chairman, Mr Newton Dodge, said some contractors might blame delays on the pipe manufacturer when there were other reasons for not completing contracts on time. He suggested a report on the matter be sought before discussions were held with Hume Industries. Mr C. H. Russell said the board had begun to preorder pipes several years ago for jobs it knew were coming up. Large areas were needed to store the pipes and damage from extra handling meant much wastage. The board stopped pre-ordering pipes because of the problems and knew it would face some delays in one or two contracts, he said. Other board . members thought a discussion would “do no harm but could do some good” and agreed that a meeting with Hume Industries be arranged.

Staff will write a report on the effects on the board of the 20 per cent devaluation. Mr Dodge called for the report so that board members would know how the devaluation would affect the estimates. “We will want to know if we need to panic and do something drastic or if there is no need to worry,” he said. - Appointment The board confirmed the appointment of Mrs Denise

Arps as a member of the board. She will fill the vacancy created by the resignation in March of Mr Bill Kelso. The seat was first offered to the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate, Mrs Kathie Lowe. Mrs Lowe declined the offer because she had recently been appointed Canterbury regional secretary of the Labour Party. Mrs Arps, a Labour candidate, was the thirdhighestpolling unsuccessful candidate and is a former board member.