BOROUGH GRAVEL PITS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 114, 5 July 1911, Page 3

BOROUGH GRAVEL PITS.

QUESTION OP CONTROL. The following letter from Mi’ C. Chaid was read at Monday’s sfta- , iat meeting of the Borough Council: Tie removal of grave! from Mr ■ Branigim’s pit: I Peg to lodge a complain t° against the Borough Overseer ■Mr Sullivan) for having stopped my .non from obtaining gravel from the ihove pit and also refusing to give them aeecss to tiie pit. The lull diets of tho matter are as follows: 'some three, months ago I made arrangements with Mr Masters, Mr .Uuckav, Mr Braliigan and Mr Hall in get access ■to Mr Hranigan’s pit uul ’obtain therefrom sufficient grav- ■>] to enable me to complete, the contract i had with Mr Hall. Some ten days ago.' (being then ready tor the gravel) 1 sent my men along to the pit to start stripping, and a day jv two later sent my men along to cart the gravel stripped. On their ■nival at Iho gate leading to the ,iit they fount! the same locked, and they were, hung 1 up for some hours while I got ail order from Mr Sullivan to allow them to'enter. Mr Sullivan then objected to my taking the gravel my men had stripped, and stated I must go further along to another pit. Phis I thought was very unreasonable, hut sooner than cause trouble i sent my men to the other pit as requested and stripped and carted a quantity of gravel therefrom. Unfortunately my men could not get at sufficient gravel for the job in this nit without temporarily removing a fence, and while they were busy taking down this fence ! suggested to die drivers of my teams that, instead of standing idle they should get a load or two from'‘the amount l stripped bv my men! in the first) pit." This, they started'to lion mitb while in tlnf; act of reinovi rig lliJs gravjel' r (which I was perfectly entitled' toji'Mr Sullif i an came aloiig' and' tbld thy men to leave both pits Irt oucei 1 -Tllisloccurred yesterday' ('Friday) mi'dd(ay, and for the rest of tile day niv men were idle, which means .'loss' of wages to them 5 and at this time of the year they lose enough time through the wet weather without having to do so on a fine day: i might also say that I have been depending upon tho fine weather to Complete the contract and probably tins action of MW Sullivan s will hang tlioi job -tip for weeks. Under all circumstance's I submit that Mr Sullivan has exceeded I)is duty in turning my men olf, and therefore , I appeal to you to set the matter right as speedily as possible. Thanking you in anticipation.” Or King moved that the Overseer s •action be confirmed.' if Mr Chard had kept going to the old pit there would have been no trouble. Mr Chard had exceeded the permission given him, and the Overseer had only done right in stopping him. Cr Paget seconded. Cr Ward thought all permission given should be in writing. The Overseer said written instructions had been given in this case. The Mayor said -Mr Chard complained of the gh'te ‘being shut, but he ought to' know that it was always shut. ' E » ; '•

Tt was thou deoidptl on tlic motion Thfe motion 1 was bill tied, of the Mayor, seconded by Cr King, thh't Messrs' Chard Kros. be allowed to* go into the upper pit. Cr Ward moved'that all applications! for gravel conic before the Couulilv - (hr King thonglif it'would lie wrong IhP'kce'p contractors' 'waiting until the next meeting of the Council. If rhey wanted only six loads of gravel it would be' a. groat hardship^ ' rr ' of' : Pager’tonTd'ViWtWfgiih vvitli''"pettifogging things being field over for the Council meeting. it was too much of making a mountain out of a The tlppg which struck him jinhst was tl4.tj._the Council did ililt ylfarge enough, for gravel. If the of gravel'y/as put on a busir ness ‘footing the Council would be pleased to run after contractors to get; their orders! , At present contractors came cap,,iir hand tor gravel it sixpence a yard, which price did not pay the Council. He moved as ui amendment that the matter of giving permission to enter gravel pits >c left in the, hands., of the chairman if tlie Works Committee, and that t be a recommendation to the Works Committee tp. icvi.se the charges. Cr Saugster fxic.onded the amendment. . . .. The Mayor thought Cr Ward’s motion would be unworkable. Cr Ward, said that il at present chore was a request liefore the Conn'll for the taking of two hundred aids of gravel he would object to giving permission, as the carting .voul'l do more damage to the road than the royalty would pay for, Cr Paget’s amendment was carried