BITUMEN PURCHASE POOL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 1 September 1928, Page 7

BITUMEN PURCHASE POOL.

LOCAL BODIES AND BOARD '

A DISAGREEMENT

The recent decision of Taranaki local bodies to pool the orders tor their bitumen requirements and invite tenders for supply has created a bone of contention between the Main Highwavs Board and the Taranaki Local

Bodies' Association, and the subject made food for considerable discussion and the ventilation of a- fair amount of adverse criticism at the quarterly meeting of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association, held at Jiltham on Wednesday. The chairman of No. 7 Highways Board (Mr T. M. Ball) wrote, taking exception to the action \of the association in not accepting the lowest tender submitted for the. supply of 20 X) ton« or bitumen to the respective local bodies. The letter further stated that though the board would support the association in this case, similar action would be . discountenanced in future.

The chairman of tlie association (3lr C. J. Belcher) said that no local body was in favour of the acceptance ot lowest tender. The engineers had done their best- in the interests of their respective bodies, and a saving had been effected. His own council (Eltham), for instance, had saved 6s per ton. The following copy of a letter which had been addressed by him to the; 3Linister of Public- M'orks (the Hon. K. S. Williams) together with correspondence submitted hy the Eltham County Council in regard to the supply of bitumen to Taranaki local bodies. was forwarded by the Hon. O. J. Hawken (31'inister of Agriculture):—

31T Hawken wrote ,to the Minister of Public Works as under:— “I attach correspondence which has been submitted to me by ithe Eltham County Council regarding the supply of lrturnon to. local liodics in the Taranaki district.

“It will bo seen that the letter oi' the .lltli instant from the secretary. Taranaki Local Bodies' Association, to the county clerk, Eltlinm. conveys the next of one from the Main Hiirliway.s Board rebuking the No. 7 district council for its action in accepting on the 25th June last a tender not the lowest for the supply of 1835 tons of bitumen; while the secretary draws attention to a resolution of his association forwarded to the board on the f 26th June. ■ 1923, recommending that ■ the hoard undertake research with the I : b;e-t of informing all loading authorities of the respective qualities of roadmaking materials, particularly bituminous binders. ••lt ; i.s alleged by the secretary that the resolution was ignored; and repre- ” tat : ons which -have been made to me indicate the existence of a definite leeliim of resentment on the part of Taranaki local bodies against the peremptory tone of the hoard’s communiarioti. which they consider unwarranted in view of the resolution which had been mentioned. “No good purpose can be served hv discussing the proprietary or otherwise of the board’s alleged action, in ignoring a resolution submitted to it five years ago ; but I am certainly of opinion that" attention should be given to' the practical consideration of creating between the hoard and the local bodies affected a. more amicable feeling than at present obtains. My personal knowledge of the situation leaves me in no doubt that the board does not enjoy the confidence of the local bodies so far as its pronouncements on the relative qualities of bituminous material are concerned. As tlie positions exists at present, the district council inclines to the use of material the worth of which has been demonstrated in its own experience, rather than of material of which it has milv a; theoretical knowledge gained at seoondlftmd; and while I am in accord with the principle that district councils should not pay too dearly for their preference, it is essential that the Main Highways Board would endeavour to gain the confidence of the local authorities in its chemical tests of reading materials. “Members of local bodies in the Taranaki district have had many years experience in the laying and maintenance of bitumen roads on a large scale. Their extensive acquaintance with the practical phase of the work entitles them to the definite opinions they hold conce-ning the respective values of the materials used in the operations, and their leanings towards 'specified brands arc understandable. That they have manifested a tendency to sta'iid by the lessons of tlieir experience can also be appreciated; but as reasonable citizens. I feel sure that they would be the first to wish to profit by any new knowledge which the Main Hieh ways Board can make available.- if the information were placed before. them in a manner which would provide them with logical grounds on which to adapt tlieir practical experience to the. data •rained from scientific investigations. ~ “i believe that good results, in the shape of smoother relations. would attend any action on the part of the to take local authorities, especially Taranaki, into its confidence m connection with the methods by which it carries out its tests of bituminous materials and the grounds on which it reaches its conclusions in deciding the suitability or otherwise or particular brands. MR BELCHER IN REPLY.

The chairman said that judging .bv the letter the board seemed to think that local bodies did nothing at nil for the roads. The Eltham County

~ oun. il had Leen badly treated and it did not suit him that the Highways iioaiu should dictate to tliem. . lne county deserved some consideration; cne ueatt meant a saving. Mtham was tue ..rsi county to go in ior bitumen .or the roads, giving the other counties ;l iead. Iney Had pernaps made a lew mistakes, out not latterly. He wao satisned that if his council iiaci gone on in the old way, without the pooi. there would have been no bother. He put the following motion; The Highways Board .be informed (1) “That this association of local bodies resents its representative’s letter or 4th instant disapproving of the association’s action in purchasing bitumen itt a price above the lowest tender. Also threatening to refuse to subsidise future works earriod out with higher priced bitumens not tested by the board or acquired under its advice, and also expressing surprise that the association did not- seek the boa id’s guidance in the matter. (2) “That the communication now complained of is the first intimation that this association or its members have received of tlie board’s willingness to undertake tests aiid render advice, and this notwithstanding the fact that on June 26, 1923, the association asked the board to undertake the testing of bitumen and' make the results known to all local bodies in the Dominion. Further, that on June 2, 1926. the district chairman No. 7 Highways District was requested to supply information relative to the lowest prices of each brand of bitumen, and to neither of which communications a reply has been received. - (3) “That the Taranaki local bodies are the pioneers of bitumen roads, and the standard ‘of- work carried out by them is proof of their efficiency in that class of work.

(4) “That, whilst many brands of bitumen are douhless- good, the association- acted wisely in purchasing the season’s requirements of a known and tired-out brand, in preference to risking large sums on brands unknown to the members'’ engineers. . (5) “That of the unknown brands tost orders of five tons each were also purchased, and these are to be tested out for future guidance. (6) “That the hoard he reminded of the fact that the local bodies . have many more miles of road to maintain besides those subsidised by it.

(7) “That the board he also informed that the funds at its disposal fare provided by the public for a special purpose, and this association has vet to he satisfied- that- the light to withhold future subsidies for the- reasons given by its representative is vested in the board. (8) “That until that right is established tlie Taranaki local bodies will continue to conduct their affairs on the same sound and progressive lines as have characterised their activities iu the past, and will refuse to submit to the dictation of threats of any autocratic department or official thereof.”

In seconding tlie motion. Air. J. B. Murdoch sag! lie was- sorry such. a. position had arisen. It looked like a threat that the subside would be cut off. Taranaki, he said, had received many bouquets for its good roads, and had, as a matter of fact, improved on the Highways Board’s methods.

Mr. S. Pitt svmpathised with the chairman, and admitted that ho himself ' would feel hurt were he in the chairman’s position. He would, how-

ever, like members to visualise the position. The passing of the motion was apt to create discord with the Highways Board, which, he would remind them, supplied the funds and no doubt- thought it liad a. voice in tlieir disposal. Though some of the board’s methods did not appeal to the association, he considered the motion should not go forward in its present form. As representatives of the whole of Taranaki they should exercise caution and diplomacy. Air. J. S. Connett said fie thought a good deal of the trouble! was due to calling for tenders before they were actually ready. He supported Air. Murdoch in his objective, but they had not gone about the business in tlie right way. The tone of the hoard’s lettei surprised him. He did not like Hie idea of a falling out with the hoard or dissension among the local bodies themselves. . Air. S. G. Smith said Air. Pitt was under a misapprehension in assuming that tlie board found the money for expenditure on highways—it came from the Consolidated Fund in Customs duties, petrol tax. etc., but he agreed it would he unwise to antagonise the hoard. •On the other hand, there was no reason why they should he sat upon. Messrs. T. J. Bridger. E. Long, R. J. Knnckey. and H. C. North spoke in favour of the motion, which, however. thev considered should lie; modified in tone. - f . ® Air. . North remarked that in all Public Works Department tenders there was a proviso that the lowest or any tender need not necessarily he accepted, and he wondered how the Hi gliwavs Board could reconcile itself to that anomaly. .

Mr. Alnrdoch said the “.sting of the motion was in its tail.” and on his sup;crest ion the word's “will refuse to submit to the dictation of threats of anv autocratic department or official thereof.” in the last paragraph, were deleted and substituted by “will refuse to submit to dictation as indi--n+ufl in tlie letter..” The motion as amended was carried uivMiinvuislv. • On the motion of the chairman a ’•nte of thanks was missed to the Hon. O. J. Hiiwken for his assistance.