OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE. .

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 26

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE. .

The regular monthly meeting of the Otago Centr*l Railway League Committee was held on Monday night in the Chamber of Commerce, and was attended by Messrs Barren (chairman), A. Bathgate, A. Sligo, S. N. Brown, A. C. Bbronach, and R. Clark.

THE TAIEIU BIUDGE.

The Chaiuman said that last week Mr Sligo discovered that there was reason to think that the Taieri bridge contract was not proceeding ss it should. On the 19th of June the following telegram had been sent to Mr Pinkerton, M.H.R.: "Please ascertain and telegraph league what is present position of contract for Taieci bridge, as it is rumoured tba'j work ha? not yet been let." To this the following reply was sent by Mr Pinkerton ou the 22nd of June : "He Taieri Lake bridge, material is on the way from Homo. Contractors state will make a start on the work at end of month, and will finish within contract time. Penalty will be inflicted if unreasonable delay." The Chairman, continuing, slid they would remember this contract waa leb last February, and it seemed that there was no indication at the Taieri oUroything being done by the contractors in the direction of preparing for the necessary work, by laying girders, &c. They expected that the contractors wou'd have had some workshops and other indications that they were going on with the work, bub the last information he had was to the effocfc that there was no apyiwance of anything being done in the way o' prepariog for ib. Mr Sligo said he bad heard rumours that the contract was not being lor, but that ib was being hawked about Wellington and other places. Ho made inquiries and heard that the contract was really Je?, and. that part of the ironwork was about to b9 landed, but that the original contractors did not ses their way to g.o on with tho contract. The reason of the rumour* was that the. contractors were not ready to carry on the work, sxd were desirous of someone else carrying it on, and ba assumed thtt

the cause of the rumour was that an attempt was being made bo get some individual, other than the original contractors, to take the work in hand. It might have been observed that Mr Hutohison had put a question in the House about the matter, and the answer stated the position. Mr Pinkerton had said that penalties would be enforced, but he (Mr Sligo) did not know that the contractors would be ready to pay penalties. The oontraotor had sent an order for the ironwork to Bngland, and part of the material was on tho way, but the contractors here found that they had taken the oontract at too low a price and wanted to let ib again.

The Chairman said they had expected Mr Pinkerton would have let them know the terms of the oontract, and how long it had to run, but he only said in his telegram that the contractors would make a sbarC at the end of the month, and this' was July. It was a very difficult thing to get at the contractors, and the only thing they could do was to send another telegram to Mr Piukerton stating that so far as they knew there was no indication of the work being oommenccd.

It was then agreed to send the following telegram to Mr Pinkerton :— " League understand that Taieri Bridge contractors have not commenced work, although your telegram said they were to make a start at the end of last month. Please ascertain cause of continued delay. Five months have elapsed since letting of contract. /When is completion of work due ? Does not delay vitiate contract, and can anything be done to prevent further delay ? "

It was also decided to telegraph to Mr Hutchison thanking him for bis question relative to the matter, and directing his attention to tho telegram sent to Mr Piukerton ; and also to telegraph to Mr Earußhaw to see the telegram Eenfc to Mr'Piukerfcon, and assist in the matter. The annual meeting was fixad for August! 3.