THE WATER SUPPLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2207, 3 June 1908, Page 1

THE WATER SUPPLY.

REPAIR WORK TO BE SUSPENDED. PROGRESS PAYMENT REFUSED. Tito progress of tile work of repair lo the To Arui water mains was again before tho Borough Coll noil last evening, when tho following telegram was received from tho manager oi the (Spiral Stool Pipe Company, Wanganui, to tho Mayor:—“Wo understand you have been to tho head of tho water-works, and havo seen the groat difficulties, we labor under by reason of.,winter weather conditions. Will you place before the Council an application to postpone work until iSovombor, as me original ooniiaey would have been conipietetl long s.ifffL' but tor tho Hood? \Ve estimate a cos. oi under £.IOO will effect repairs, iatu trust tlie Council will consider our application, and will make a payment of £ix)oo or £OOOO on account. "

Tho Mayor mud that'upon receipt of the telegram he called the Waterworks Committee together, and they would recommend that the request be complied with as far as suspending work, and an agreement to cover that had been prepared by ,tho Borough solicitors. Tito Committee recommended no payment on account, lie had been to tho source of supply, and agreed tin it the work„coutd not bo sproceeclod' -with during* 'the whiter months. The agreement protected tho Council in every way, and made tho contractors responsible, tor the maintenance of the supply during the period of suspended work. Mr. Bright said the contract would havo boon completed in May, 1907, and no earnest or persistent effort had beon made to complete the work Ho did not think any portion of the money in hand should bo parted with as it might yet bo necessary for the ratepayers to tako over the work and complete it.

i 9 r i Sheridan said a similar motion hud been carried at a previous meeting of the Council, and the ratopavors interests sliould be conserved. • ’ !m rton , expressed a similar whole, if not'more than the i£lo,ooo in hand, might be required to complete the contract. He did not tihnk tho contractors deserving of any favor, as they had not done their best t 0 complete tho work. Mr. B. Couston, who was present, said the contractors had not .made reasonable progress in• completing the work. There wore at first thirteen men on tho work of repair, but the number had now been reduced to seven. 110 had told the contractors to ;>nt on moro labor, but understood there was difficulty in getting labor. Hod'd not think efficient repairs could bo carried out during the winter months, but that was a matter tor tho Conned to decide. Mr. Hav would not take any responsibility iii advising that any payment be made on account. Cr. Mann said lie saw nothing new to cause the Council to go back on the previous decision. Ur. 'Wh inray said tlio question miglit arise as to whether the contraclors were responsible for the damage. The Mayor: That question is nor under discussion. Ci. Whinray: It is still debatable as to whether tho Council should not make a payment so'as to induce the contractors to go on with the work. ~ J-he Mayor said his own feeling was that tlie Council should meet the coil„r ™ rs *0 a limited extent, say to £2OOO of £3OOO. He was not keen on the suggestion, but while Mr. Hay dul not make any recommendation', he did not wish to act harshly. In answer to Cr. Darton, Miv Collator, said there had not been, for any length of time, any continued high pressure.

The Mayor: The Council might fairly say we will advance £2OOO or £3OOO if the work is pushed on after t.- 1 winter months. „ Cr. Pettie: The Council has only one course to adopt, and refuse the payment. Cr. Sheridan : The contractors arc not giving any concessions, mid there is a danger that the Council will need all the money to complete the work. There is « motion on the minute book that a payment shall not be made, and that would have to be rescinded. Cr. Somervell said it was hard on the contractors to liavo such a large sum of-money lying idlo, hut it was the duty of the Council to protect tiio interests of tho ratepayers. Cr. Bright said ho disagreeed that the contractors were making any concessions. ..- When the work was complete the Council would only bo pleased to pay the money. The concessions in tlio past had all come from tho Council.

It was deckled not to make any progress payment. Consideration of tho agreement regarding tlie suspension of work was then proceeded with. Cr. Darton said if the present weather continued there would Vie no hardship in insisting upon the work being pushed on. It. would be unwise to encourage tlie contractors in delay. Tlio Mayor said the roads to tlie head works were almost impassible, and it was impossible to get good work dono at the present.time. He would like to see the contractors allowed +.O suspend work. Cr. Mann said that as Mr. Couston had recommended the suspension of the work, Ijo would be guided hr the engineer. Cr. Bright: It is bettor to have a fixed date for suspended work rather than a policy of drift, 'the Council should either say “finish the work now, or at -a fixed date. 1 * The Mavor’s motion to allow the cont’actors to suspend repair work until after October was adopted.