Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1016, 8 October 1903, Page 4

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The Chairman said there was 2s per cask duty on cement now, than aid not exist when the works were started. Mr iiephurn : I know that you can buy it cheaper in Auckland now than you could twelve months ago—Portland cement. The Chairman said that at any rate there was no question that McLaughlin and Co.’s tender was the lowest, and they, made no qualification.

Mr Sievwright: Are wc bound to do the work by contract ? The Chairman said not necessarily —they had simply called l'or tenders. Mr Clark : Is there any reason why Sellars did not tender ? The Chairman : Not that I know of ; they, are not here now. Mr Sievwright said it was a curious coincidence that Sellars and the Inn•gineer should have been so close to each other in the prices. Mr Clark My. recollection is that the Engineer said he could do it for £IO.OOO, and the * tender being £12,000 we thought the £2OOO dilierence too great. The Chairman : Yes.. Mr Sievwright : And now, the amounts differ by £SOOO. Mr Clark : Of course, some things may. be dearer. The Chairman': Yes ; some things are dearer now than they were. The timber is all provided, the contractor having to find ironwork, cement, stone, anti labor. Mr Whinray said lie supposed the timber would amount to about £4OOO or £SOOO. The Chairman : I forget the amount, hut wc can easily look up the invoices^ Mr Sievwright : Have we the wherewithal to do the work ? The Chairman ’ That is a question to consider. Mr ■ Whinray : Have the Works Committee any recommendation to make ?

The Chairman said that as the ■tenders had just been oponed, the Committee had had no opportunity oi considering the position. Continuing the Chairman read a statement which iie had had prepared to show the prospective financial, position of the Hoard. He estimated, after allowing for necessary; expendture, they would start next year witli a credit balance of £11,300 ; with the revenue for next year, say £IB,OOO, should give them ample to have the work carried out, without any overdraft. Rates from the bor _ ough had this year increased by £l’ jg while the increase from Cook .Cqr Jllt , Y was only £l7l. Captain Tucker The ta te is doublev The Chairman : Yes, but The area is considerably smaller.Mr Clark : There wilt fe e a con _ siderable increase in tbe- county next year.

be the The Chairman said that -would all the better for the Board, Mr Sievwright : Then without anticipating revenue we are not just/ lied in going on with this work'? The Chairman : 1 do not see r thing as far as the revenue is corned to prevent us going or c °'?' the work, - :™ith Mr Clark ; What is to b' dredge going ? ee P The Chairman said that , 7 , , .rrying on of uhl he reduced ■essary as the -eing carried on. It seems to me cumstanccs is + ‘*g under the cirwithout cold*' J P carry the work on find that w adi > and to stop ll we carry it, fr - have not the funds to Mr Chi/ arthcr. opinion - -a said lie was of the same like to' as Mr Sievwright, hut would pared hear if the Overseer was p.re■ject -to give an opinion on the subioweu ;£S(JOO for the other works, That co if they thought nee training wall was b Mr Sievwright: that Hie best thr

>•' .Vir Sievwright said that when the -ifference was so great as £SOOO, it was necessary to consider the matter a good deal before deciding to accept a tender. Mr Matlhcwson : The discrepancy is so great that it will stand looking into. Mr Sievwright : Especially as we have Sellars’ tender last year, and the Engineer agreeing practically. The question of the cement was discussed. Mr McLeod said that lie ■considered the proportion closer than necessary, hut no doubt the estimate was based on the loss that would take place beneath the water. He thought a cask >and a half of cement to a yard would: he ample. It being susniested hv Mr Clark. 1

that the matter should he referred, to Mr Ferguson, j of Wellington, the. Secretary read a reply which he had received from Mr Ferguson. It was, he wrote, di/licult fro'give a direct answer, as the pro portions depended largely on the char aeter of the work, j For ordinary purposes 1 in 7 . was very generally adopted. The Secretary said that the local specification provided for lin G and lin 5. The Napier Board repined that the quantities they used v/ereG to 1, and that it was neecss.ary to put some sharp sand, to go > with the shingle or rubble. Mr Sievwriglit isaid that what suited Napier should suit Gisborne. Mr Cl ark : I do( not know that it would. The ’Chairman said it would not do to risk the work being spoiled for a little cement. They wanted a wall that would still last after the timber had decayed. They had had a good deal of expe use in repairing the Napier breakwale. After further dis ‘cussion Mr Siev-

wright said that he would move that the Board do the woHk by day labor. Mr Clark said th&'.t he would like to know whetlie» r . the Overseer had gone through the specifications, and formed any idea on the subject. The Secretary state d that Mr McLeod had reported on the subject, recommending that tende rs be called for the work. Mr Sievwright : He sai.d the diffiI culty -would be to provide the machinery. Mr Clark said he would like to know if the Overseer did not see his way to do the work under £17,000. Mr McLeod said that lie would not like to answer, the question right off. Mr Clark : Coi'ild you give an idea by Saturday ? Mr McLeod : Y es. It was then resolved to adjourn . the meeting unt.-il 2 o’clock on Saturday aiternoo n. v Mr Matthews on said that it might be better not t;o publish the tenders. The Chairman-, said that it would not make any 'difference—they were not going to call fresh tenders. Every, day, 200,000 cigars are smoked in London,