PATUTAHI QUARRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2206, 9 October 1907, Page 1

PATUTAHI QUARRY.

DISCUSSED BY THE BOROUGH COUNCIL.

Tho quarry at Patutahi was discussed freely at last niglitt’s mooting of tho Borough Council.

MEANS OF ACCESS

Tho following letter from Mr. E. Ilabgood was roceivod : “I take the liberty of addressing you concerning tho metal I am carting for your Council from Patutahi Quarry. Ist: I may mention that tlio approach to tho metal at the quarry is very nearly inaccessible on account of sticky clay, tlio waggons when full having sunk down, to the' naves of the wheels. To-day wo had to put in eight horses every time to I

pull them out, and wo had to unload

one of tho waggons before we could get it out. That is the reaso-n wo diid not get in town with our loads today. 2nd: I have also to state that on account of tho shaking of the waggons I loso at least half a yard of metal in every five yards. lam prepared either to have the metal measured at the quarry, or otherwise to bo put in depots iii town and measured there. Unless this is done I will bo unable to carry on this carting at tho price I am getting and the price for horse-feed 1 have to pay. j 3rd: I have also to stato that I broke an axle on Saturday in crossing one of the drains that had ben dug for the water-pipes, and which had been ’loosely filled in—this fairly in the centre of Gladstone road. I will be in attendance on the Council to answer any questions that you may ask mo,” Tho Chairman said thero was no doubt something should be done to improve access and egress to tho quarry. Tho conditions were certainly hard upon carters. Cr. Bright: It is a matter for tho County Council to attend to. Tho Chairman said tho matter of measurement was an important one. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

“Tho contractors for tlio delivery of spawis from Tatutalii liave maae a good start/’ reported tho Engineer, “and as soon as a. suflieient quantity has coino to hand I shall commence crushing. The contractor tor carting broken metal has informed me that lie does not intend to cart any more unless his drays are measured when loaded in tho quarry. Tile contract provides for measurement on delivery, and that is tho proper manner for measurement to bo made. As tlio contract ho signed provided for this I cannot recommend any alteration boing made.”

Supplomnting his report, tho Engineer said the settling down amounted to sft out of 52ft. lie did not see liow tho Council could acceiit measurement except at tlio place of delivery. Any other ‘system ' would be unsatisfactory and lead to endless trouble. It would bo a very bad precedent. Cr. Shoridan: It means that shaken down wo get our proper measurement.

The Engineer: Yes. Cr. Sheridan: Tho request is tantamount to asking for an increase in price. Tho only jioint wo can deal with is regarding the state of the road. The waterworks contractor has left it in a bad state.

Cr. Somervell emphasised that the Council should try and get the road put in order. A certain price was charged, and tho County Council should give proper facilities in return.

The Engineer said metalling was required in the vicinity of the hoppers and approaches.

On the motion of Cr. Sheridan, it was decided to ask the County Council to have the approaches put in oruer, and to subunit to that body a copy of tho letter.

Tho Town Clerk, in reply to a question, said that no word had been received from the County Council with reference to the erection of .hoppers. Air. Habgood was invited to speak. He had nothing to add, except that he considered ho should get tlio same measurement allowed as tlio moil at the quarry, C_. Sherman said ho would not he a party to “paying for air space.” The Council should get the full measurement it paid for. The contractor knew the specifications before tendering, the conditions being mea-

surement on delivery. . Further questioned, Mr. Hapgood said it was the first time broken metal had been carted. He would be willing to have the metal measured on the ground, but not in the wag-' gons.

Cr. Bright : There should bo no objection to that. It would suit the Council equally well, The Chairman assured the contractor that the Council would do, its best to have the roads improved, hoppers provided', and facilities generally improved. Mr. Habgood mentioned that he intended to stop carting and go on with other work until some improvement was effected at the quarry. Cr. Bright said that there were numerous complaints regarding the state in which the trenches on the road were left. It simply showed that the Council had been ill-advised in not having direct representation to see that the waterworks contract was being properly carried out, and the roads, etc., maintained in order. Mr. Couston’s scant telegram from Dunedin was a striking commentary on the irresponsible way things were conducted. The Chairman (Cr. Whim-ay): No one was more strenuous than myself in advocating our own man on the contract. Cr. Sheridan: There are two overseers with full authority, and any complaints would bo reported to Mr. Couston. Cr. Williams raised the question of roads on Mr. Couston’s recent visit, and Mr. Couston said nothing could be done until the contract was finished, when ho will have the road put in order. Cr. Williams: That is the effect of wliat he said. The Mayor mado the same statement, Cr. Somervell said that whoever was responsible, the Council should see that the dangerous state of the road was remedied. Tho trenches were a menace to traffic in their present state. The breaking of ail axle in Mr. Hapgood’s caso proved this, and in his opinion Mr. ldapgood had a very good action against the contractor if he liked to press it. The speaker moved that tho contractor’s attention be called to the state of tho road, and that ho bo asked to have the trenches nronerly filled in. Cr. Bright: We should not be forced into the posit ion of having to write to the contractor himself. 1 maintain that we should have had an authorised representative to watch our interests in these matters, and keeping tho roads clear, Cr. Sheridan: There are two overseers thefo. Cr. Bright: Who aro they? Wo never hear from them. Cr. Shoridan: Nothing can be done, in any case, until the contract is finished. We must put up with it in tho meantime. Cr. Miller: If the trenches aro left ill the state described \ye- have got authority to see the thing remedied. Mr. Couston can see to it at once; it is absurd to say wo must wait' anyone’s convenience. If the contractor refuses we have our remedy. Cr. Sheridan explained that the trenches had been filled, but the soft material sank down, causing ruts in the roadway. It was decided to telegraph to the Engineer, requesting him to order tlfe roads being put in order.