EXTENSION OF TIME FOR CONTRACTORS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XIV, Issue 713, 23 February 1881, Page 3

EXTENSION OF TIME FOR CONTRACTORS.

At the evening sitting of the Tuapeka County Council, Mr Buchanan moved — " That contractors be allowed six weeks' extension of time to enable the men employed to get in their crop. " He remarked that labor was very scarce in Tuapeka West, and he thought it would be a great hardship if the settlers should have to pay a high rate of wages for the harvesting owing to their being employed on County works. He thought if these works were

completed before the winter set in no hardship would be inflicted upon any one. Mr Frnser could not understand this motion. He was not aware that an application had been made by any contractor for an extension of time. The motion he held must have some other object in view. He could not see how the Council could adopt it. He had said he would not sign any cheques until the contractors sign their contracts, and he intended to adhere to the stand ho had taken.

Mr Buchanan rose to a point of order. Mr Fraser, he said, was always an obstrnc- ! tionist. He alwaj-s objected to any motion proposed by him (Mr Buchanan). It is for the benefit of the ratepayers themselves that he made the proposal. Mr Fraser said his remarks were made in connection with the motion. It was not likely that an extension of time would be granted until contractors sign their contracts. > Mr Bennet held that the motion was plain enough and the proposal in every way reasonable. In other parts of the world time was allowed in a similar manner for getting in the harvest, and in their case if the works were finished before the winter they will be done in time enough. Mr Mervyn supported the motion. Mr Herbert could not support the motion as it now stood. In the district he represented road- making was as important as harvesting. He would suggest that each application should stand on its merits. Such a motion, he contended, might be frightfully abused. If the motion were amended in the direction he indicated, he would support it. Mr M'Nab stated that the Engineer had informed him thtt it would be a. very wrong thing to allow some of the contractors an extension of time. Soads would be left unfinished this winter as they were last winter. It would be very wrong to give an extension in some cases. He quite agreed with the suggestion of the member for Tapanui. If any contractors want time let them ask for it. On the suggestion of Mr Brown, the motion was amended to read "that an extension of time be allowed, subject to the Engineer's approval," and carried ; Mr Fraser objecting.