UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13700, 15 September 1908, Page 6

UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE

THE NEXT CONTRACT

An animated discussion took place at last- night's meeting of the ' Borough Council on the manner of carrying out the next section of the underground drainage work». Before business was proceeded with

Councillor Sealey inquired how the business dealt with in Committee of the Council on the 4th inst. had become public property, in regard to the adoption of a recommendation in favour of tiying the co-operative contract system. It" was.no use having . committee meeitings and the Press might as well be present at all meetings. He would like to know who divulged what was done. The Mayor said he was asked by a reporter what was done, but he gave him no information, except to say that there had been a lot of discussion about the drainage ' contracts. Councillor Hawkey said the paper stated that it got its information from another quarter after being refused it by the Mayor. It was a reflection- on the Town Clerk or some Councillor, as it. stood.

The Town Clerk said he had given no information.

Councillor Satterthwaite: If - it had happened in Parliament some one would have been "called toy the bar of the House."

"The Mayor said he had been blamed for it, quite incorrectly. Councillor Raymond said it had happened time after time when the Fire "Brigade improvements were in hand, for instance, the committee's proceedings were made public property. The matter was allowed to drop, and the Council proceeded to deal with the Committee's recommendation. At the meeting on the 4th inst., it was moved and seconded that No. 4 contract be proceeded with as previously decided (i.e. in one contract), and that the engineer prepare plans and specifications accordingly. An amendment was moved and seconded that a portion of it (four miles out of ten) be let in four sections of one mile each on the co-oper-ative contract system, for the trenching, pipe-laying to be done by day labour. The amendment was carried by the casting vote of the Mayor. On the motion that the minutes of the committee ba adopted, Councillor Satterthwaite moved as an amendment. "That No. 4 contract be cairied out in one contract, by tender according to the recommendation of the drainage engineer." He stated that at the committee meeting he spoke in favour of day labour and Councillor Hawkey supported him. He said that if the tenders exceeded the engineer's estimate, they should adopt day labour. A single contract was the only safe way, as they then knew exactly' what they were doing, and if the Council were going to do the pipe-laying by day labour, they might as we'll "do tot. But for safety's sake they should stick to the engineer's recommendation.

Councillor Hawkey repeated • what lie had said in committee, that he would be glad to s : e the work done by day labour; but the Council, in placing the scheme. before die ratepayers, distinctly promised that the work would be let in small contacts.—fihe Mayor: Hear, hear.)—and they should keep faith with the rate pay en;, it. wan true the engineer was against it. He (Councillor Hawkey) would be in favour of day labour if (he. Council's plant could be used lor plough ing the tieiiclH-ti. but as the Council did not. favour thai, he favoured the co > p rative system. Councillor Mulliii said his reason for voting agaii.iu co opciulive contracts) was the extra cost of inspection. It. they had three or four gangs they would want, at many inspectors. The Mayor: There would-be ie*s inspetion needed that way. Councillor Mullin : One inspector is not enough for one contract rwff. Councillor Schmidt ; But ihe contractor has half a dozen gango Councillor Muliin . My objectivii is. that thrie would \j- too much inspection Willi ■.-■'!. Councillor Sealey aUo repeated what he had isaid before ' He w..c m favour of small contiaets. and it they ti.id i.uiied out their promise.; ihey w.uld h.iVe done it lrom the til-it. 'They aught lu-c a lot of money :,nd ha\e a loi_ot r„,t|.ei un.i >■ the daj "labour cystem. He had been told by teveial woiKinu, in-11 u.ai m--operative .:yst-m would n't do: there would be sUi',- w be a lot oi friction. He

l bought, il. would -be »• big mistake, ami iliai. ihey had made a mistake in not lei ling ihe'whole job in one contract. They would have saved a good deal by ii. Councillor I'arks : Thousands. The Mayor said' they had discussed iivery fully the other night, and ■ h--, . iou, had spoken lo working men aboui it, and they said rhey Imped they would have a chance to gel small cojitraeli;. 11 Wai; only an experiment thai- was pio|j..c.ed—four mile* our of ten. Jte agreed thai if they 'go! in tenders thai were 100 high, the- Council should-not he,-afraid lo tackle the work by day labour. Il had been fully discuescd and carried, (though by his casting vote), at. a fuller ffi&-.ting than they now had, that the co-oprianvc contract should be tried. Councillor Satlerthwaite t.tiggesled Imbling the mutter over fur a fuller meeting,the engineer to be asked his <>]>ini<»n on co-operative contracting in the mt-aulinie; A show of hands was taken as to post ponemi-nl, and this was carried by a good majority. No. I CONTRACT. Councillor Oboru proposed that another recommendation of the Couneil.be' puelponed alto, I his being that £QS be de ducted . from the final payment Lo Mes.-is Palliser and Sons, thaL being Ihe extra povit of the inspector during the period of his employment in excu>s of the contract time. . Jitter a discussion, in which the unexpected difficulties met with were "Urged in support of > payment in lull, it- wat, agreed! to hold. over the recommendation, and to hold a special meeting nexl Monday even ing to deal with, both questions. DRAINING THE SUBURBS. Councillor Raymond a.sked whether people outside the borough would be allowed to take advantage of the underground drainage system. The Mayor -said yes, if I hey came info, the borough. Councillor Raymond : That should' be decided by the Council. Some of the outsiders were asking for it. ' Councillor Schmidt thought if. wr.s ratheiearly to discuss'this question, seeing thaiborough ratepayers had . not yet been supplied. He could see no objection to people across a boundary road getting (he use of the drain, at proper charge. . ] The Mayor said this question was' dealt with in the .Drainage Act, and the matter was then dropped.