THE HARBOUR BOARD AND THE QUAY WALL CONTRACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7566, 19 February 1886, Page 5

THE HARBOUR BOARD AND THE QUAY WALL CONTRACT.

A special meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday to consider the recommendation of the committee regarding Mr. Jenkinson'a contract for No. 1 buttress. The i Finance and Legal Committee's report was follow« ; —" Letters from E. A. Mackechnie, dated 2Sth January and 6th February, and a memorandum from the Engineer dated 9th February, in reference to Mr. Jenkinson'a contract, having been read, it was resolved, ' That th Committee recommend that the Board take possession of Mr. Jenkinson's contract, and proceed with the work in accordance with the recommendation of the Engineer, a correct record of the cost of the work to be kept.''' There were present at the meeting : Mr. G. W. Owen (Chairman), Mr. Waddel (Mayor of Auckland), Mr. Winks (Mayor of Parnell), Messrs. C. Laßoche, M. Niccol, and 0. Mays. The Chairman opened the meeting, and the Secretary read the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting, as reported abovt. The Engineer's report as to the No. 1 buttress contract was read as follows:—"You will observe, from my letter of the 28th ultimo, that the time given for resuming work, expired last Friday, therefore, according to the terms of notice, Mr. Jenkinson has abandoned the contract. The Board may now proceed with the work to complete it. The statement of accounts, as between Mr. Jenkinson and the Board, stands thus :— Value of work executed as per contract schedule, £430; deposit in , hand, £200; total, £630 ; advanced on account, £385 15b ; balance, £244 sa; lien on materials, £172 lis. Assuming, then, that the Board took the ' work into its own hands, and . never touched Mr. Jenkinson's stone, shingle, sand, and cement, on the ground, on which 50 per , cent., equal to £86 5s 6d, has been advanced | the sum of £244 5s would be still on hand belonging to Mr, Jenkinson's original contract. Then, after depositing altogether 1167 cubic yards of concrete, the quantity provided for in Mr. Jenkinson's contract, the actual cost must be determined, and' if in excess of £1157, plus £244 ss, the Board could call on Mr. Jenkinson to make good the difference, but if the work cost less, the balance would be refunded to Mr. Jenkinson. I shall be glad if the Board will settle this matter as soon as possible, because the work should not be left as standing now." The Chairman said he gathered that the offer made to Mr. Jenkinson was over and above what he was entitled to. On the motion of Mr. Maya, seconded by Mr. Niccol, the I report of the committee was adopted.