WOOD KERBING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 829, 19 February 1877, Page 3

WOOD KERBING.

So the Jfditor of the Globe. Sir, —I see in a report of the City Council proceedings by the Globe of February 13th that Councillor Jones said that he had been informed by a person in the city that an appreciable amount of black pine had been used in the kerbing of the city, whereas the contract was for the heart of totara. He therefore would like to ask the surveyor to state whether this was the case or not. Tho surveyor replied that he might state at once that no black pine had been used except a few pieces. Further on Councillor Jone 3 stated the black pine was noticeable in the capping of the concrete chanuelling. The surveyor said the capping was so unimportant a matter that perhaps a plank here or there might have got in. Now, sir, when the City Council called for tenders for the supply of this timber the heart of tocara was stipulated for, and when you remember that the surveyor in his first statement admitted that a few pieces of black pine had been used, and in his second statement considered the capping so unimportant that perhaps here and there a plank had got in, you will come to the conclusion that the surveyor himself has gone a great length towards making true Councillor Jones' statement. Perhaps the surveyor is right when he states that the capping of the channelling is unimportant, but if the Council pays for the heart of totara, they ought to get it. Councillor Thomson says that a charge has been made by no one, and resulting in nothing; but perhaps some of our councillors will take the trouble to go to Oxford terrace, in front of the Government buildings; start at Mr Dann's corner, and go thence to Gloucester street, and ascertain how much black pine and how much heart of totara there is in that kerbing, and if there is only a piece of black pine here and there, 1 will agree with Councillor Thomson that a statement has been made by no one and resulting in nothing. Councillor Thomson paid Councillor Jones a very poor compliment when he stated that he for one, on another such charge as this being made, should insist upon the councillor giving up the name of his informant. I think it would be a very hard case both for the citizens and for the city councillors if a citizen could not draw the attention of a councillor to certain things without his name being made public. I think the councillors' information would be very limited. Councillor jThomson can't see the difference between a man writing an anonymous letter to the Council and a man drawing a councillor's attention to something he considers wrong. Yours, &c, OBSERVER.