WHY DON'T YOU PAY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 17, 3 July 1912, Page 1

WHY DON'T YOU PAY.

Pipe Co. & Borough Council j i I lure is aii air of uncertainty as to the precise arrangement that was made between the Wanganui Spiral j Pipe Company and tlie Pukekohe Town Board. According to statements that were previously made samel>ody representing the Pip? Company hail made an anangement with somebody representing the old Town j Board that a debt of £2,000 was to j remain for " a couple of years." • Exactly what this arrangement was : does not appear to have transpired, f | But the Pipe Company has lately ' complained that several letters asking , ftflfei-ess payments have dimply . be'lHfcred. At the last meeting of; Borough Council they wrote agdin, saying : " Would you be good enough j please to inform us—we have already | written three or four times now for J this information when we may exp. < t a progress payment from your Board ? The whole position seems au extraordinary one. We canr.ot even 'obtain ilie courtesy of a reply to our ! correspondence." ! Ttie Mayor said the Council had had | no certificates but the engineer (Mr Sugg..te) who was now present might explain. Mr Suggate said that he had issued payment certificates for £3,602, which was ail that was due up to the present time. It had been complained to him that the Pukekohe payments were very unsatisfactory. The Mayor said that from information he received it appeared that there was some sort of an understanding whereby £2,000 was to be allowed to stand over for two years at a certain rate of interest. The company's contract was for £4,706 and as £1,500 had been paid the Council had some £3,206 yet to pay. He did not himself think that the suggested arrangement was within the law. He knew there were certain provisions in the Act whereby money coidd be spent for certain purposes, but the intention was not to enable a local body to impose fresh burdens upon the ratepayers without their consent. Cr Bilkey : Can't we tell the Company we will let them have the money as soon as we raise the loan ? It was decided to send the Company along a cheque for £">00, to explain exactly what the position was, uud to ask the Company in what way they woi'-d meet the Council. Cr C.imric voted, No.