THE SHOTOVER BRIDGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3014, 20 December 1911, Page 8

THE SHOTOVER BRIDGE.

ACTION DISCONTINUED. The action in which Wm. Thompson Johnson sued the Lake County Council for £2949, the balance remaining in connection with a contract for the construction of a bridge over the Lower Shotover River, came before his Honor Mr Justice "Williams'on the 14th inst. Mr Woodhouse appeared for plaintiff, and Messrs A. S. Adams and J. A. Cook for defendants. Mr Woodhouse said he was happy to be able to inform his Honor that after considerable negotiation they had reached bedrock, and that morning they had come to an arrangement. As far as the court was concerned a discontinuance of the action, without costs, would be entered, and he undertook to enter it. The arrangement also involved the immediate progress of the work of the bridge, and its speedy completion. Mr Adams said the settlement had proceeded upon an admission that the pier was not down to the solid rock, and that the contractor had consented to put in a new coffer dam, pump out the silt, and fill in with concrete under the foundations. The contractor was also to pay £IOO towards the costs of the County Council. The agreement was that the County Council retained that earn out of the moneys in hand. He might add that it was a fair thing that it should be known that the plaintiff, Mr Johnson, had not been present at the job -when the foundation was put in, and probably did not know about it. Mr Woodhouse said tihey had bad an answer to that, but it was not necessary to go into it. The agreement in substance runs thus t The contractor undertakes to build a reliable coffer dam entirely round pier B, and drive the same down to rock. He will then excavate the interior between the coffer dam and the pier, and remove any faulty portions of the pier. The bed rock is to be examined by the engineer, and his approval obtained before the new concrete under-pinning is deposited. Any deficiency in the size of pier shall be made good, so that the foundation shall be of the same sectional area as shown on the contract drawings. The council agrees to contribute £2OO towards thr cost of the further work required, and also agrees out of money in hand retained to advance from time to time such sums up to £6OO as are required to finance and carry out the satisfactory completion of the pier. The date for completion shall be April 30, 1912. The contractor to allow the council to deduct out of the contract moneys £IOO towards the costs oi his action against the council.