WHAKAMARA CONTRACTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 September 1880, Page 3

WHAKAMARA CONTRACTS.

TO THE EbITOE Ofr THE STAB.

Sir, — If" Katipo," or John West, roadwork contractor, of Whakarnara, thinks that he will deter us from impartially doing our duty as road board commis* sioners by writing to you, distorting facts, and trying to ridicule members of the road board, or any other persons that dare to honestly earn their bread by placing their services at the disposal of a rival contractor, thereby increasing competition, and consequently getting work done at a cheaper rate than some contractors consider desirable, he is very much mistaken ; for being considerably interested in the roads of this district, well knowing, if money is misspent, it means paying higher rates for years, you can rely on us doing our duty, both to ourselves and the public. — We are, &c, G. W. Ganb, O. Williams, Hawera Road Board Commissioners. Whakamara, Sept. 13, 1880.

P.S. — Touching the contract penalty, we thought it scarcely worth noticing, as referred to in the above letter ; but it is just possible to mislead the public, who, not knowing the contractor so well that was likely to tender, the commissioners took the precantion to fix the penalty as stated in the specification, well knowing, from past experience, that it is cheaper to get the work done; especially bush felling, at the proper time, or, as in this instance, grass-seed sowing, so as to allow it to form a sole this summer, than to accept the tender of a person at a low figure, who did not intend to complete the contract within specified time, thereby causing a direct loss to the public, and to the ratepayers, more especially of this district, who not only lose their money, by allowing the contractor to sow their grass seed when too late to be of any service, but have to travel over bad roads for years at a time ; there has been money enough expended on it to make a very good road.

G. W. G. O. W.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAB.

Sir, — In a letter signed " Katipo," in Saturday's Stab, the writer says : — " The above is a fairly correct statement of the arrangement between Messrs. Gane and Wallace, having been informed of it by Mr. Wallace himself." To the above statement I give a flat denial. In the first instance, I never made any such arrangement with the Messrs Gane ; and, secondly, I never told Mr. West, Whakamara road contractor, or any other person, including Mr. Allan's legal adviser. — I am, &c,

William Wallace.

Sept. 12, 1880.