Correspondence.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 70, 19 September 1895, Page 2

Correspondence.

THE FIREBELL TOWER. TO THE EDITOB OF THE STAB. 1 Sic, — I am nofc particularly fond of { letter vii iij.r, i v after Mr Goodbehere's 1 '■ iic:* re the removal of the bell-tower, I ] tbi'i! ■*, lor the information of ratepayers i iv g ueral and Mr Goodbehere in parfcic- i ular, a little explanation upon the sub- < ject would not be out of place. lam very pleased indeed to see Mr Goodbehere take such a lively interest in public affairs still, but I a.m sorry that he is obliged to rely upon limited newspaper < reports for his information. On account < of " lengthy epistleß to the editor," I presume it is necessary for tbe editor to curtail his Council meeting reports, consequently a great deal of information does not appear in print, and it seems to me thafc on account of the detailed information nofc appearing, the little difference between Mr Goodbehere and Messrs Sandilands and Bailey has occurred. Now, re cost of removing belltower. Thirty-five pounds (£35) look a great deal, and to simply remove the belltower would only entail the expenditure of a few shillings worth of dynamite, but the specification prepared for the removal of the bell-tower provided for the removal of tower and bell complete, the contractor to take all risks, the tower to be re-erected upon a heavy heart of totara frame or pedestal about fifteen feet high, etc., etc., and the consequent alteration of the Fire Brigade meeting room, over which the tower was to be erected. I estimated the work afc .£35, and a builder's estimate was £35, and for the work as specified £'35 was mosfc reasonable, and no one should question an estimate without knowing what work is expected to be done for the money. The Mayor, and I think most of the Councillors, would not care to see the unsightly tower erected over fche Fire Brigade meeting room behind the Municipal Buildings, neither do fchey want ifc in the Square, and they have been trying to obtain a more suitable site for it, bufc in fche meantime the proposition to erect ifc behind the Municipal Buildings would only be entertained in the event of the Council boing unable to obtain a more suitable site. I am, etc., T. H. James. Feildiug, September 18th, 1895.