Borough Matters.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8128, 1 March 1906, Page 5

Borough Matters.

Contract v. Way Labour Again.

A special meeting of the Borough Council was held yesterday afternoon. There were present •. His Worship the Mayor and Crs Sinclair, Armstrong, Stubbs, Matheson, Holben and Abrahams.

Only one tender was received for construction of pipe sewers in Feather - ston, Taonui and Lombard streets. It was sent in by Messrs Milverton and Son, the price being £1395.

It was stated that this was the third time that tenders had been called for the work and in each instance the price had been considerably over the engineer's estimate of £1100.

Cr Holben moved that the present tender be accepted and that the work be pushed on with all expedition. Cr Stubbs wanted to know if the Borough could not carry out the work at the price mentioned by the engineer.

Mr Jickell said it might be done at about £150 over his first estimate. This addition he made on account of the great quantity of water now in the ground and which might seriously hamper the work. They would, however, have to go in for a big plant.

The Mayor also referred to the difficulties which might be presented during progress of the work. Cr Stubbs said that if the engineer was confident that the work could be done for less than the tender he thought it should be tried.

It was explained by Mr Jickell that the contract under consideration would complete the Whole of the sewer scheme on. that side of the town. He had no guarantee that he could get men to do the work properly, or that it would pay to go in for the plant neeessary. The motion was the,* put and carried. In respect to obtaining a lease from the Athletic Park Company for the right to obtain gravel from the river foreshore, Cr Armstrong reported that the position for the Council to consider was as to whether they would accept an agreement instead of a lease from the company, as it seemed that there was some difficulty in the way of the latter being obtained. The chairman produced and read an opinion of the .borough Solicitor on the matter, fortified by which he felt that there would not be the slightest danger in accepting the suggestion. Some discussion followed on the point as to what position the Borough would be in if at any time the land from which the gravel is to be taken passed into other hands in the event of an agreement only being made. Cr Armstrong moved and Cr Sinclair seconded, that an agreement be accepted from the Athletic Park Coy., in lieu of a lease subject to the mortgagee's consent. There was a deal more discussion of an " all round '* nature, after which the motion was put and carried, Cr Abrahams alone dissenting. The meeting then adjourned.