DRAINAGE BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2402, 14 December 1881, Page 3

DRAINAGE BOARD.

A special meeting of the above was held at 10 30 a.m. Present —Messrs Tancred (chairman), Cuff, Hobbs, Blakiston, Boss, Harman, Brown, and White. The business was the consideration of tenders for pipe laying. Mr Harman brought up the report of the committee appointed to consider the tenders for pipe-laying. Five were for the whole, and one, Mr Stocks, for two of the portions of the contract. Mr Stinson was by far the lowest whether for the whole or any part of the contract being lower than Mr Stocks. The whole details had been worked out, and Mr Bell had the results. The total of the lowest of these tenders was £9095 I6s Id, in addition to which the Board provided pipes and cement. Mr Stinson had recently carried out contracts for the Harbor Board. The amounts ranged from £9395 16s Id to £15,114 4s 6d. The detailed statement of the amount of each tender was as follows : Messrs J. and A. Anderson, £15,114 4s 6i ; Brighfling, £9987 17s Id ; Carr, £11,906 15s 7d ; Wadey, £11,224 18s 6d; Stinson, £9395 16i Id ; Stocks (for two sections only) £7262 8s 6d. Mr Harman moved—“ That the tender of Mr Stinson be accepted.” The Chairman said that with regard to the remark made at last meeting as to the tampering with the figures of the tenders, he had carefully gone through them and failed to discover any attempt at alteration of the figures. This, he thought, was only due to the Board that it should be stated. Mr White said that the course pursued upon the last occasion of (he Board meeting was a most unusual one. All he wanted done was that the figures should bo read cut. He might say he had never seen such a thing done before as a public body opening tenders and not reading the amounts. It left, it open, to say the least of it, for people to make remarks, an opportunity which should not be afforded.

The Chairman said the subject could not now bo discussed. He had made a report, and there was an end of the ma’ter. Ho conceived it only right that, after what had been said, the Board should be u«sured, by his examination, that no such tampering as had been suggested had taken place. Mr Brown wished to ask the engineer whether the impression that was abroad that this work would not connect at all with the pumping station, and would be practically useless. It was also currently stated that the Board would require to come to the ratepayers for another loan before the works now in hand wore completed. In fact, that the ratepayers would have to pay additional rates for works which would be useless.

Mr Bell said the sowers now proposed would connect with tho main intercepting jswers finished by Mr Parsons. All that

would remain to k# don# wu to carry tko contents on to the Sandhill*, a work for which plans were now in course of preparation. Of course the sewers now covered by these tenders must communicate with soma outlet or they would burst. The opening of the pumps would relieve the river of the sewage now going into it. Mr White desired to ask the engineer whether he had m ad# such provision with regard to the Armagh street and other sewers to prevent eo far as possible the getting in of willow roots. He understood that they had to take up a length of the Armagh street sewer.

The Engineer said that the amount of sewer taken up in Armagh street - only amounted to some four chains. They had taken every precaution to prevent a recurrence of the willow roots getting in. Mr Harman said he desired to mention that a friend of his had mentioned the same report to him, as that referred to by Mr Brown, viz , that the work now covered by the tender accepted would be incomplete, Mr Hobbs said that he considered it wa# due to them as a Board that before going ont of office they should make an official report of the work done, and that remaining to be done. From what he could see of the tender* now accepted ho thought they should bo abl# to complete the work with the money in hand, or very nearly so. Ho would give notice of motion as follows That the engineer bo requested to furnish a report of the amount of work which will be finished of Mr Clark’# drainage scheme at the end of the current year, and also showing the balance of work to be done and the cost of same.”

Mr Harman’s motion for the acceptance of Mr Stinson’s tender was then seconded byMr Hobbs, and agreed to. Mr Harman gave notice to move at next meeting—“ That the pipe sewers along the line of Oxford terrace from Madras to Antigua street, and along Antigua street to Tuanx street, and along the line of Tuam street, and from the Bast Belt to the Lincoln road be added to the rest of pipe sewers ordered by the Board, and that the successful tenderer bo offered the option of including this work in hie contract."

The Board then adjourned to Tuesday next at 2 p.m.