THE TIMBER SALE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLI, Issue 306, 30 November 1906, Page 1

THE TIMBER SALE.

To, the Editor, Sir,— As fthe evidence re timber inquiry haw now been published, [ perhaps yr.u will allow me to dis- ' cuss thia' question in vour journal ; as the , majority in the Council ■ would -not allow it with tha evi ■ dence before us, an'd I Uiink r shal' i be able to show the evidence does not justify the report. In regard to the quality of thr | timber, I have no other word tc ; say than; it was condemned by 'th< Government Inspector, aP d that ac corchnjr to Messrs Hill and Little John- it was not *«-rey, irontark Isclass but red 2nd clfess. But in re gard to the ' tq*ttsa>* t ity, the timbor inauired about .from Wallace o )jl „nffm _" i 4 523 superficia* feet. The bolted mass was ad I n »tted hy Lar/piands to bc lOOf > superficial feet/ puttin ff It at , Mi: Littlejohn s pr.-ice, 33s per 100 art tho bn<te_ - it would Coßt £1Q 8j _ Gd .in thej first, case, and in tfc 2nd case / £16 13s ; but the bil £ a %. £?0 3s for the bolted mass, air Ijit.V.ejohn admitted "a bSamr ni G Z i2 ?' men t*i6n6d by the Towt mi? in *" s w ' I ' e would havo boor sufflcTient if properly strutted,' and Jfr Hill said "that "ioum, a borted toffother, is stronger, ae i Pf^rtiion of it formed a sort r « nder strut, which is evtuivalen to Mr Littlejohn's evidence that t > beam with i:r»der-struts would hav been sufficient, and, of course, a half the cost. But it is' not s. much the quality and quantity o ' tho timber as it is the method o^ this peculiar -timber transaction' Upon this question, we h**vo th remarkable evidence of Mr- Lang, lands, which is very initerestmt ; and deserves embalming, and rea. ly proves my casa. He said, I, A. ter tho acceptance of the tondei '■ and the Council had tried to procure a beam, but I understoo • could not procure it, I inform* the Engineer that D. McLean ha- ! vessels loading with ironbark a Richmond River "for Nelson, and h would be able to supply It. Th. i first communication with McLea' • I'dated 12th February, 1906. I re 'CeiiVie*] a reply, .'I am in receipt o yoWr inquiry re ironbark. M wrote • forward by first boa--3.42 10 x 10 to tho Nelson OittJouncil, the order to be charger Ito the Council.' " This is thmost wonderful piece of cool au dacitji I have ever heard of. T< order timber on behalf of the Coun cil, without an atom of instruction from then, is bad enough j tf order 700 superficial foet is worse , But to tell them the Council wil pay the charges out-Herods Herod j Let us look at it again. To or der the timber at all is .treating tho Council with contempt. T< j vary the order from 451 J ft t( j 700ft is treating the official- con j cernotl as one who does not knov | his business, and if there was r spark of professional pride hi , wouM resent it^as an aspersion ohis ability tomiake a specification For quite .six' months Langlandwaited for * tho fulfilment of thai order. On August ,Bnd a vesse! came to NelSon loaded with tim ber. She left ;on tho 3rd for Wan ganui. That timber was taker straight to Motueka, "^ If that wa} one of the original vessels loadinf' at Richmond River in February, six months previous, I should like to sea her log. On August 2nd the vessel came, but Langlands did not discover the catastrophe of the missing timber for Nelson until the 7th August. What occurred betw.een the 2nd and jui. vre don't know, but it is possibl^ttoat thr Government Inspector had been pp, the job. Then he wired to Diai-^ can McLean, "No timber to hand for Nelson Oity Council. ; most timber landed for Waimea Count j Council." Ho says, "I wanted to get the job out of hand, "and in conversation with the Engineer it was tlecihed to send the following: wire to McLean, August Bth, 'Havr you lh stock 2.22 18 x 0, 0ne249 x 10, 2 20 9 x 9, or 1011 sunerficial feet, replacing orders ol lath February." Langlands again takes the lead in doing tho business of the Council with the full consent of th«s Engineer. And we certainly have confirmation of -this 'in tiie wir« reoeived by the City Surveyor from McLean, dated August 9th, 1906 : '•'Presume ironbark referred ,to -in sizes referred to by Langlands '& Co. yesterday. If so, should be in Nelson in three weeks'." The wire from the City Surveyor wbich elicited this is lost. The three weeks : expired on thc 30-th:Aug«t. Langlands waited patiently autil the 20th September, and then ke writes to McLean, "Wire City Engineer mistake. The Council orderod Sor" the Council." That, of course, is a' mittakc. Tho Council ordered mothing, lt was Langlands who did the ordering. The only part tiib Council had in the transaction was to pay the bill ; really to danca-as Langlands pulled the string.- Thesa; a remarkable coincidence <scO".re. The City Engineer gets anxious, and wires to McLean on the . 34th September, "When may I-*- eypect timber. V-r-Henderson." The reply to that' wire was lost. But I thought it of sufficient interest to tho city to get a copy of that wire, applied to the Department/-- < and -with the consent of the Oity ■ Surveyor, obtained it. Here. .. axe j the words, "Re ironbark' ". haVa j written Langlands asking- Yor ■ full particulars, also writing to yoji , fully xo-day.— McLean." I ,*haye j inquired for that letter, but it ia , not to bo found, or McLean forgot . to send it. That firm 'at Grey- .

liiputb. after a* &a& fro, ' and '$ntfxs&. .«q»»>it fy ccrtiib letogths *6fi*ti»?^Vl ta^-^ ing u :'"tb ta*^lffint^^C®a^]«i«^»''^ I*angian9lß yffifnffl ."tPM;-?** ' reply of the "firm JT-^S^^-fc^WSjactory.'' I should life *&.s^;Ttfcei* r side of tha KjtKSthfay '.--^A'-^AikA-l&W^&l/£ o ijiJ::tiH£&'H!o the re** euo, 4&S twi* told the En-Ej^-'lnattbe"' oilV'show I saw °* getting ttofejhwh&ffilh&ly wos to get it from BbS^S . ij^jer'W. at was' lying 'at the stitfi ?SfT ! #! 'Alexandre! Bluff bridge cdi^&ct&TSjbi^ timb*. had been cdridefciied\. byVa Gbverfe-:""* ihent inspector, Tyio. 'did *not kmbfo'?. his duty at all. J !'• have, since had the man remove*!, fifom* his job. .St-^ told the Eri^ineOr; if . liked, tfast ' ■•' I practically g*i r arj_ht_eed that tfcp timber ..wouM .-p&s??£.*i inspection - in -Nelson," and jfnoi^ suitable and .of first-class qua! ity i- I.;' Would ' tafio '**.' tho timber '.- o^or myself . I w#s interested in this, I Ranted to get the contract -fmish<Dd|i Tho timber did not belong 'Vo rite, "neither did I receive one ■jteiiny for. ,it. I do * not receivo aifJT'jtrjn.-tiii^j^bn.'' Tliat is from February. ; -to Sop'tember : S0 he had been TTWorvying. and wiring, to get this tiiiilier at - hl'a„-Dwn expense, withotil '"', tlje uxpacbation of one pcamyif.ptp^A. Wliat • some people willd<i"*inr" th«\sh»pe .of selfis", "aioriuipg -! Thc Council had bSJn in.. •blissful'; -ignorance of this allltho'TtijßW. anS the Oity. Surveyor lias never reported this self-sacrifice to k '. the .CaßikciL But f'fiJreTJs: ongi^thing [\ yjd& not understand, wtky'tt -fl-as; if Hie timber , was IMcLciah's, tfaat r^pjflands bad "the' Inspector 'rexaov'ag/'- for condemaftigj. the tinrbis., u?; i t waa ho concern.t)tifi'is?..7' . ■"?■''!> r *- T'And another T T tbing-;i, fconnot tuiderstand. how tt"; waS,, that the tiniber {oil]/ -into Mctjsan's hands again. T^Als'^'Eiescrally tho east?, . •vhen a persoh; :ai&*thing of * •another person, Tspocifyvng sizcfl and quality, If- Itjxfrt -fitr'et person .. I takes delivery, asijippe^re the case .rith Langl anils and CA,. the «* :ond *pers<*iji'e r*sppnsibitjty .ee&ses. McLean Thas apparency other methods Of daing-/buirfn.oss. AH I can s»y tt that "^ so.. T shotild think he diargiqsTfor tji^ciiks. Mr l^anglandsT^appc^ti^ >sh9^od at my proceedings* ootf V w-iross, '-'Mayor .uspicious;*r''wirw directc to Coup- :'».''. Mc^eaw wirod.^to Town I •Vja^igpftdAl&i&tlßg as Lour agent." Of jJeurse witlio-Jt i commission. J *-'• -Jt iv • Question* lst-T-'-'ltfd #'du ever re7eive any .wli^n.ipwt 3^ trvca -ihs - 'Council ?*';" -;.'. ! Aijswct— "l do not reapember. I [considered I' was- assisting the Council lh getting "tlie f»lmbcr." r Question— "Did ' Mir „V - • n*you f*q.'*if»te * the * r c*» Irey mo u th , "'Octotae .XJf,i- ' OtS ? ' ' -- Answer-r"I ■.fchsr|k**ri.J ! '' J: Question— '^yc-tKd'iJtf » '• •"'-.'** date tho accaPhii^ Ott^riwfT 17th TtJie ; morning thj^ArAh*ai/'l! l^ t GHreJ*- • .-> - notith "at 8 Acl&X&JV.y 's , i '■■■ ' ' Answer— .'^BoiE^scsiHt-Jt was tba morning "tiieT'rlScc.ounji "'"iwas mkOe a .. .■•* •' ' «•■£'> '■ > V--. ,V j}yy ■ ;••■ . ;;' - ;•. I "Question— t'-Wiii.-3fce.''.toWcr , po&tod lor deli'vcrc4?'f.[*T''V.>:' '•.; "' \ Answer— '^t aih^SQt cg^tiim.'" i TTic' onlyrf-jrjat&V Mp-Tx.nglands appears sure>ab^4Vus-^»t ho ordered timber for%t*d" -gpuncll of ** certain sizes, th^t' he took tbe City *^nginwf .'T"l i .nt?.,hr3 confidence from tfiq'*fe^miiii%. Thei6*ty Survej-or Tin hi£ r «Y}<k*ncs says, : Jj\ I • don't l-erabmTbj^/ondering -tha .ttoi.ber. to .otitis its'f^fosLJs*n.. I . **wt , ... away for-"niy WjUaayavt^ 'Australia about tho^mida^'^o'fog^Uftry-^''; ll I had no't : *ltow*^it('Witf'beaia * Tb/ad* iboan: properly, ort|.ei*cdV~i: 6hould -rfbt have wired. ' . ,-I'j^J^Xbol'cved fhe .beam had' lw>nV> TbixlsiFcd - in .„«^u proper \^&y, afel'T jjj^d no Ihte^'tion of decrfviniv tHe (Sjuncll. QuesUon^'-'lli^J r uu^iand3 spcatq to you 'about, tw^iju^'fe that • -.Was brought dowii I^itlift'cAi^ancUa 1 Bluff bridge •?"/ 'WA^l :% ■ Ay Answor^-'T tlojafp PtTmcniber, his f doing so." '-' *■ i'i-' Queatioa— "l't-J'' Xflngtapds «peak lo you 'about tijis tjinb« , • iirith ' a. view of having *^ ; iwouglSt.:db.wii?'' T AjoWer^V»l t^pk^ic did.- t*^^ not give.hitn t^yofd^r'sjthen. asT^Tthought all thti thoßx.. ma tiri|bpr had.beonL&rderp^"* , ? 4 Of PP^/Spho j^eans'ilcgally orderod bjy'tjio Toiyn Ci erk t ' Thafiacll c6utd have wisifc bp3n^ascertained from thoTTown Clerk. •' Besides T>tho wire of the, Q(K&f August froit. JMjjf/can, aslqngHjs^.EQgJiier. if tog rci ferrod to sizeiqUD'tC!d'b.^l' an S^ ni,is > !and the wlisei pfg «^^ 2C*h ;of - September trbrtL '■ Mpjjwm •: -io tfc«> . Engineer.- sa^^»T^."hitveTVt!ittoitr. to i Langlands. fOT.T.*pareiculia*rs,'' .fsfove conclusively McLean tjo ''that had no 6raer.*£a"j»v. sintementf of Langland^.Blw^jii-TUlat no- less jthan four tiini^ be T.oons^lUHl,* tiie ■ESgiuoer, tiie ieMSgrfttaS • oi the 9ti oC Augusfci^^lMT'ot^eDtemher^support his ißtati^jßr't^ ,ttrar<rforci£:. tl»i EEgteew- Jn«SJ baw? * '^t.nown?' aH about its and .', ? haVe p>ovcd_ my. ■'•a*^ ■; \ ' A'.- ' J , I am, etc,, -«-• Jv-r^Pßß, '' ■"' „*{£?' i: r '^' : -i Mayor. Ko***. 2* k if&s'/ ( * 'J J.