METAL CONTRACTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13589, 10 May 1906, Page 10

METAL CONTRACTS.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—l have neither tho tiino nor the inclination to carry on a newspaper correspondence with Mr Caldcr. No doubt ho is very plausible, but the public wants a little more than plausibility from a "supposed ring"—they want fants. I am the successful tenderer for two of the corporation contracts, and will have to supply tho metal whether the "supposed ring""supplies mo or I am compelled to get a crusher of my own. I have, made a public offer of 3s per yard—conditions the same as the City Corporation's. Let them accept it, and kill lor ever tho bogey—if bogey it is. If thev refuse, can they blame, the public for thinking that a " ring" is not. only forming, but is actually in existence? 'With regard to Mr Calder's offer to supply the council for a term of years, that is a very natural thing for a man to do when lie finds that Hie corporation is talking of re-starting its quarry, and lie. knows I am going: to start a quarry. So that does not prove that a "ring" was not forming. • I am quite aware that Mr Calder has received the Drainage Board and a City Council contract, and so would find a difficulty in supplying mc; but Mr Caldcr only confirms what I said. I stated plainly that Mr Caldcr had refused to supply mo with metal for the Dramas© Board. Surely ha will not make tho excuse that he had not tho metal; ho must have had tho metal then, or he could not have subsequently taken up tho very contract for which he refused to supply mo with metal. It i 3 a peculiar thing that Mr Caldcr hjs.to do. nil .tig qqws-

paper work [or Iho alleged "ring." Why do not the others take a hand?

I miist apologise to Mr Ifax lor statins; that all the quarries had refused to supply me with metal. I referred to those quarrie? with crushers.—l am, etc.. Dunedin, May 8. A.' .Johnston.