WHAKAMARA CONTRACTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 50, 2 October 1880, Page 4

WHAKAMARA CONTRACTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAB. Sib, — Observing a slur cast on me, as a member of the Hawera Road Board, I will, if you will give me space, enlighten the ratepayers, through your columns, the kind of person the writer " Katipo " is ; also what reliance can be put in such writer's remarks. In your issue of the 22nd instant, I see that John West, in his letter, 6ays (re " Katipo") that he was alluding to the first time tenders were called for ploughing the roads, &c. I will confine myself to the latter portion of " Katipo's" letter, referring to me and the road board, wherein he says Mr. Williams and I scorn jobbery, or working the oracle ; also, he hopes the ' board will, in future, open all tenders at their ordinary meetings, and not appoint any more of v these hole-and-corner committees to do the work. While using the term, I mean taking my share of responsibility with Mr. Illston during his term of office, and also with Mr. j Williams. I herewith challenge " Katipo," John West, or any other person, to prove any piece of work I have let in the district, without inviting competition, except about three or four jobs— one of 6a 6d, I think, and a sum of 25s to John West, to clear a track on the Fain road. The reason of his getting it was that he was at work on the spot, and I considered he could do it cheaper for, that reason, and 8s worth of work Mr. Allen and I got him to do in corduroying the approaches to the Mells bridge. In every and all other pieces of work, I have invited tenders, and in every and all cases accepted the lowest tender; so by your readers perusing the above, they will observe what a contemptible and mean person "Katipo" is, I know not of any piece of jobbery that has been done either by Mr. tlletoa and nzyse2f, or Mr. Williamß and myself.j Now I will leave "Katipo," John West, or any one else, to show any jobbery that has been perpetrated by the Whakamara commissioners, although " Katipo " insinuates that the board has been appointing hole-and-corner committees to do the work, which I deny. — I am, &c, G. W. Gane, H. R. B. Commissioner. Whakamara, Sept. 28, 1880.