THE DOBBS AFFAIR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 2749, 16 June 1894, Page 3

THE DOBBS AFFAIR.

; '') f At Friday's meeting of the Hawera $W-Oounty Coonoil, : '^^^K^epu«aion waited on the connoil with i"«§jeot to : the Dobbs' contract. It was ' v that men. who bad been >' i:ii lwtQyed on. the contract had had no cc <?mOTiey,for-8« weeks, and were in a state W- 'Ceot poverty. The oounoil b^ad over £ 800 in hand and only about £60 waa reqoired to fioish the contract. The, men, therefore, thought that the whole of tbe money should not be kept'by the council. The Clerk 'said that the position was that the counoil had to retain 25 per oent. until the contract was completed ; and it not yet completed. In janawer to a question it appealed that there was £880 or £400 due to the men. Councillor Quin said that some of tbe ' claims were over stated, for no allowances o were 'made for maintenance. Besides there was a great deal to be done to make the work according to contract. .Mr' Binning said'jibat the workmen were 1 -by lawncompelled.to send in their claim>, '*' to' full; but the Truck Act had been. . broken , by the contractor and claims for "*■ ' maintenance could not be considered. Mr Middletoo pointed out that other creditors of Mr Dobbs ; would get nothing if tbese claims were paid in full, and mnob , !of the money olaimed ignored value already received. This was very unfair »o - tbe storekeepers who had supplied goods; and il it was persisted in then the other' craters would have to take some aotion. How the oounoil would be able to tax the accounts down he did not know. ' Mr Binning said that the men were , iDrepared to take whatever was fair. * Mr Middleton said that be wasjinformed ' rt ".ot'Bomeqmte untenable claims. One for £15 waa really for £5; another was for ' '£28, when the inaebtednesß was not over £20. '' * ' On the point aa to whether anything could be done to help themen, ; Oounoillor Quin said that if the coundil were bound by the law to retain the •money until- alter tt.e contract was completed and did not do so, but, paid the money away, how then if fteah olaimß "''came in?— the council would have to pay them also. „.,.<.., v The Chairman aaked if the work could; not be pushed on and completed at once." Councilor Quin aaid it could not be done until Bptmg. ..,".' . The Olerk aaid he had received claims which amounted to over £700. No aotion was taken.