WESTPORT NOTES.

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1922, Page 8

WESTPORT NOTES.

(Our Own Correspondent.) Miss Tottie Patterson left Westport yesterday on return journey to Canterbury University. At the special meeting of the Ilospi-, tai and Charitable Aid Board called by resolution to consider the reopening of tenders fur alterations and extensions, was held at 8 p.m. in the County Chambers on Tuesday evening, tho following members being present: Messrs Patter son, Simpson, Hawes, and Mrs Patter ton. The chairman and secretary absented themselves. In the absence of Mr Caldwell, Mr Hawes was voted to the chair, and Mr Patterson was appointed to take I the minute- of the meeting and act as secretary. Mr Hawes said the meeting was called In consider the reopening of th? tenders. The meeting before last was called to consider the accept:.nee or rejection of Frazer ami Paine’s tender. After the subject was fully discussed the motion to accept, was rejected by the c.isting vote of the chair. At a later meeting fully attended, it was moved to hav«' the tenders reconsidered, but this the chairman would not accept. A further motion to accept the next lowest tender to Frazer and Paine’s was defeated. Then, later, it ■was propos'd to have the tenders reconsidered, and it was finally decided, and unanimously carried, to hold a special meeting on June (5. In the meantime, the Hon. Mr Mclntyre, also Mr Thomas, had advised the secret- ry they could not attend and asked f<»r a postponement till the 21st. Notice were sent out a day before the meeting, but the majority were not in favour of postponement. It was stated in the notice that it was desirable to have borough representation. Mr Hawes said, in his opinion, this was not the real reason of the postponement. It was done to suit a couple of individuals. Mr Hawes read the following motion and moved it for consideration of the meeting, i ‘That the motion, ‘That Messrs Frazer and Paine Bros, be informed that this board cannot accept their t- lulcr for £8544 15/- for additions ami a!t< rations to the Buller Hospital’ be rescinded.’ ’ Air tSimpson supported Mr Hawes’s motion. He said he felt satisfied that with the difference in the price of tenders, they could not possibly stand to lose. Also they retained 30 per cent, of the < o-t of material and the work done, and with a competent clerk, all would go on satisfactorily. If it were only £1 or £2, it would be different. According to the detailed specifications, the contract system was tho right one. He had reml famous works on the contract syst. in as opposed to day labour, ami he was satisfied that if the board carried ti c motion, they would be taking a wi-e stop. He hoped and trusted the r tepaxers ho represented would be thoroughly satisfied with his action. Guarantees supplied by Messrs Frazer and Paine were then considered. Mr Patterson said the said contractors hud ample guarantees to carry out the work. They had evidence that the men’s work in the district had been out the erection of the Memorial Gateway, uml. r sub-contract to a contract most s: tist’ai tory. They had curried fit outside the district. He stressed the nciu>.sity of giving local work to local men. It meant that money would be circulated in the town. It struck him forcibly that the people who cried “stinking fish’’ were the very ones to drive money out of the district. Mrs Patterson said St. Mary’s Colic was a standing monument to the. men’s work and she also was desirous that the contract should be given to local men. Tin motion, on being put to the meeting. was carried unanimously. Mr Hawes said everything was now free and open. It seemed to him that the general feeling of the meeting was that they should negotiate with Messrs Fra/er ami Paine to carry out the work. Mr Simpson moved that they enter into negotiations with Messrs Frazer and Paine to redeposit their rash bom! within 4S hours and revive the guarantees as produced in their tender originally before the board and under the original condition as specified. Mrs Patterson seconded and the pro position was carried unanimously. Mr Simpson further moved that, when the deposit was forthcoming that Messrs Hawes and Patterson be authorised to sign and affix the seal. This was carried unanimously. The meeting discussed the calling of applications for Clerk of Works, the duties of same to be secured from the architect, and moved accordingly. This was carried unanimously. Mr Simp.mn further moved that the acting-secretary (Mr Patterson) write a letter to Messrs Frazer and Paine, contractors, informing them of the met tin;: • decision in accepting their tender. I i : - was seconded by Mrs Patterson ami carried unanimously. COURT NEWS. An action was brought against James Carr at the Magistrate’s Court on Tiiesua'. morning for non-payment of Joan money and accumulated interest, .-mounting in all to £23. Janies Carr, sworn said he was a single man, aged 23. He received his summons on May 17. He borrowed tho money from Hickling B months ago. since May 3 he had been working in the pit at Millerton. He was getting 15/4 per day. 11.- was The Magistrate: Did you win your last fight? Carr: Yes, but I only got £2O for my trouble! He said he fought at Blackball

against Redwing. He hurt his hand I in the fight, but had not succeeded in getting compensation. He was under Dr Simpson now fur treatment. Continuing, Carr said he was matched in a month’s time, and had given an order for £lO towards the payment of the debt —win, draw or lose. Carr then handed his written order to the secretary of the Millerton Boxing Association. Carr also agreed to an order being made on his wages at the mine. Mr A. A. Wilson who appeared for plaintiff, accepted the foregoing terms, and the boxer was allowed to go. A man named Cavanagh was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment for disobedience of a maintenance order, the maintenance money being for the support of a child in a receiving home. The police proceeded against a man . | named Donaldson for being illegally on licensed premises. Constable Adams said on the same night as he found the men in Reece’s Hotel lie visited Harrison’s. He saw a seaman knock at the door and receive admittance. lie followed ami found Donaldson under the influence of drink. Donaldson’s excuse was that he bought the bottle in another-, hotel before (’» o’clock, lie came to have a talk with the licensee. To J. J. Molony: Mrs Harrison came to the parlor then left, while he (Constable Adams) was there. Donaldson said he bought the bottle at the Albion Hotel. Mr Molony said Donaldson accompanied his wife to the picture theatre and then left to stroll round the town. He went to see a train off and afterwards met Harrison. The latter asked him to come and wait at his place until the pictures came out. He went. The bottle of beer was given him by Mr Prince for whom Donaldson was working—looking after a racehorse. Donaldson, sworn, said he was at Prince’s in tho afternoon. Mr Prince gave him the bottle of beer. He went to see the 9 p.m. train off where he met the Harrison* and went with them to the hotel. He was waiting for his wife to come from the pictures. When they got to the hotel Harrison asked him to come in there and wait. It was about 10 minutes to 10. He did not know the man in the parlor whom they called “Paddy.’’ He was not under tho influence of drink. He had only three shandies in the afternoon. The bottle in his pocket was “Morley’s.’’ About seven minutes after the police left Harrison he (Donaldson) left to call at the pictures for his wife. To the Surgeant: He had tea at. the fish shop on tho night in question. All the liquor he had that afternoon was at the Albion. Prince’s horse grazed in his paddock. He looked after it in a casual way. He was not much under the influence of liquor. Donaldson to the Sergeant: It is no good me denying it against you chaps (police). I wouldn’t have a chance. Mrs Harrison opened the door. He did not hear anyone knocking at the door when he was in the parlor. He had no drink during the time he was at Ha rrisons. I To the Magistrate: He got the bottle lof beer about five minutes to G o’clock lat Prince’s. He got to the fish shop I about 20 minutes to 7. After tea he met friends from the country and went to see the train off, and then home with | the Harrisons. ; Mr Prince, as a witness, swore that ‘he ran a horse in Donaldson’s paddock. Alliion just before closing time. DonDonaldson got the bottle of ale at the aldson gave some attention. to his horse’s cover. He gave the bottle to Donaldson free of cost. Donaldson looked as though he had had a few l drinks, but was not drunk; ho was talkative. He saw him once before in the hotel in the afternoon. Magistrate Maunsell said he would give defendant the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the case. A small boy was brought before Magi istratc Maunsell on Tuesday morning for riding a bicycle at night, without i a light. The S.M. convicted and discharged the youth without a fine, but, .not without caution. | Magistrate Maunsell delivered re- | served judgment on tho two licensing ■cases, Police v. proprietor of Ayer’s Hotel, and Police v. 11. J. Stevens (Larsen’s Hotel), and also Police v. Herron and Mears. In the former the licensee was fined 20/- and costs? and in the hitter the licensee was lined i £5 and costs, and the two men involved were convicted and fined •!"/- each and costs. In the ease Police v. Licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Constable Adams, on oath, said at 8.40 p.m, on the ,17th he padi a visit to Reece’s Hotel and found four men in one of the bedrooms creating a disturbance. On being questioned, they said they were, boarders. They were all under the influence of drink. In another room he found two men hiding under the bed. Four of the men were first offenders. White and Colleen with the other four were each fined 40/- and costs.