MOUNT IDA PUBLIC WORKS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 330, 2 July 1875, Page 2

MOUNT IDA PUBLIC WORKS.

Under this wejEend to give I .extracts, from which has taken place fjFbn?tmxe to time in reference to these works. It will be seen that in every particular the position this journal has taken up —with regard to the utter want of care in the regulation of contracts—has been corta"ken~place~b~e£ween \he Provincial, Government adolthflCColoma 5 ! GowJrV menfc will be_ taken place we of course have_ ho £nowles:e or-;, " 'i , • vt ;. ° r The first telegram is ,occasioned!Jby. the acceptance tenders--1 —which fact was "cluly notified, io'£he Wellington authorities : ' L " "" Superintendent's,Office^r. n Wl /• <•> i To the Colonial Secretary. , ._-jr - " - [After alludingstp arrangement "between^ Mr. Vogel and the- Superintendent: r in Dunedin which resulted in the Provincial Government calling for tenders l .] " The lowest [tender] namely, thair of Mr. W. Pearce, has been accepted, and the works now commenced under the supervision of the Provincial Engineer, Mr. Simpson. I may observe that the tender in question is considerably under the Engineer's estimate. Another section of the water race, and also'the sludge channel, have been advertised for tender, and I hope will be taken at equally low rates. ' J. Macajstd^ew. . [Undated.] « Hon. E. Richardson,- „_' > J ».I i "Wellington. .' '• Have accepted lender of-Jpearce 'for' other two seetions'Mbunt 'lda- water face—ten miles, £1625 5s v Considerably nnder surveyor's estimate/-'"-' l ' < J -'- "' v J. MacandsewT " 26' J March,-1873.:-Colonial Secretary^Wellington. '. - ~ Naseby tail race," whole work, taken at £IB,OOO, being £2OOO ..under JE&gineer's j estimate. . In i What about Wai-Eeri-tKert-EeservSir ~ . • Memo.—Contract No. 5, Mount Ida water supply. A. Crawshaw, £2388, ..., ->.. , £4 195.,6 d. U. H. Howe and party- ... v £4 10s. od.i W. P. Pearce *... £3 7s. 6d. I Norman and Co £5 10s. Od. Mr. J Pearce's tender, at'rate of £3 7s. 6d. per chain, is lowest,] and-B. 11. Howe is the next', at the' rate/oF "£4 ,105.," "but that of A. Crawshaw; a't£2i9s. 6d.,-is'the only one accompanied ■ by, the stipulated deposit of 2§ per ceht.onotender amount. Although 3rd lowest, I am: constrained to recommend its acceptance.-,

(Endorsement oh 'above.) - On this matter, if we* have' mdhey that will pay deposit on Mr.-Pearce's contract, and he will consent to same being retained as such, we must give Mm J cqn!fcract'. Provincial Secretary's Office, Duafedim May' 24, 1873. Mr. W. Pearcej Hill's Creek. - '■> I am directed to acquaint ydn that the will accept your tender for contract No. 5, Mount Ida 5 ivater supply, on your signifying your will ngness'to 'e&- ' low the required deposit of £39135. being deducted from your next [the italics are ours] progress payment." ," ' „-r A. Willis! * We .place next a note attaehed r 'by the Secretary for Works to a; t l|tter/from Mr. Craig, "who (as Secretary to the Trade Association) had been'instructed 'to sendareportof the,staie'ofU?earce's contracts, v obtained pbyjtinembens of that body : ' c z*L:>' ,- . "II t »' The ProviriciaLEngineer andariyself'vi-i* sited works'on the 21st April/and found-' the work was"' finished-rjthe same done v toii our satisfaction. Mr-,Pearc'e~offers~ 95., for men. A loqal r feeling seems "toSexist j against contractor—many nten"in-the 3is-'i trict having tendered for the work, their price being much iu advance of ~Pearce's! He is evidently-doing all that man can 4o' carry out the work satisfactorily. , There are immense gaps in pondehce. One of these gaps overlays the subsequent abandonment and reletting ,to, Mr. Abbott of Pearce's contracts?