SUPPLY OF METAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4638, 14 December 1923, Page 1

SUPPLY OF METAL.

PURIM OUTPUT FOR PLAINS. AMOUNT NOT'SATISFACTORY. At the meeting on Tuesday of the : Hauraki plains County. Council the I engineer reported, that the contractor at. Puriri had hot installed his machinery properly and there was ia poor lookout for a regular supply of metal. The contactor had been there for seven weeks and had oniy started supplying metal a week agoIn his opinion regular supplies of metal would not be available. . Or. Madgwick said that the position was serious. There,was no,chance of the contract being fulfilled, as the contractor lacked capital, and experience. The Council would have to cpme to some understanding with him, as it had to have a steady supply of metal. It would be advisable to stop work, as the loan money was being fritted away, unless regular supplies came to hand. The engineer said that the crusher was a good one, and the plant was c.apable of turning out ample metal. Cr. Hayward suggested that th? Council should.take over the crusher and put on day .wages men. Mr Fretwell, the contractor, was called in, and he said his trouble was. lack of finance to employ labour. He had .been working for two months, and had paid a big sum to. bring his plant to Puriri. As soon, as he could get a few .fishplates the metal, would be supplied according to specifications. Fishplates could not be obtained in New Zealand. In reply to Cr. McLoughlin Mr Fretwell said that he would lease the plant and work on wages.Mr Fretwell asked to be given a week’s trial, and > asked if he could carry on if he could produce 40 yards of metal a day. It was decided that the matter of the contract be left in the hands of the chairman, Cr. Madgwick,, and the engineer, with power to act. ' The engineer was instructed to do what he could to obtain. fishplates.