TRENCHING A ROAD

Shannon News, 11 October 1927, Page 3

TRENCHING A ROAD

COUNTY" COUNCIL OBJECTS TO UNOFFICIAL LABOUR.

A question of policy was debated b> ti„. Horowhenua. County Council on Saturdav, when Mr S. Sloan, of Foxton Road waited on the Council to renew a request to bo allowed to .put pipes a"croHhe road. He had offered to do th c work himself to the satisfaction of the Engineer, if the pipes were delivered free of cost on the job. Before Mr Sloan was admitted, tlie chairman ((Mr Monk) said that-the Council was not prepared for him to d g the road up. The Council should do this with its own staff and charge Mr Sloan for the labour. They shou d have a responsible man on the job to see that the work was carried out proPl Cr Kilsbv, in introducing Mr Sloan, said "that the latter objected to paying for the work to be done when he thought he could do it just as eapaWy as anv of the County workmen. Mr'Sloan said he did not want to undertake to pav the Council for doing the woik when he did not know what, thev were going to charge for domgit. His man and himself could do the job anv dav between milking times. Cr Catley said that the fairest procedure would be. to give Mr Sloan an estimate of the co>t. The Engineer slater! that the pipes would have to be pur 2 feet below the ( »rown of the road at the least. It these was an accident, the Council would bo responsible. Cr. 'Catley added that the Council had a policv in regard to this particular class of work, and that was to do ',t themselves. Cr. Ryder said he f elt /surej-hat Mr Sloan did not want the work to be any more expensive than could be helped. He asked if the Council had a roadman in the vicinity.

The Chairman: Not at present. Cr. Jensen suggested tliat the Council supply oik* of ihe roadmen to assist Mr Sloaii and charge him accordingly. The Chairman staled that the Council had a detinue policy embracing, some hundreds of mites of roads. They had many requests for culverts; the Council did the work and charged the persons concerned. It was hardly fair lo suggest that that policy should be .scrapped in this case on the score of expense. He saw no reason why a man should not bo sent out for Mr Sloan to work with, but he must be a man who would be , responsible to the Council directly. The chairman added that he would certainly object to Mr Sloan digging the road without any responsibility. If anvthing happened, who would be to blanie? Not Mr Sloan, but the County Council, Cr. McLeavey moved, and Cr. Ryder seconded, that the Council send a workman to lay the pipes and that Mr •Sloan be allowed to assist.

Mr Sloan agieed to the motion. The Chairman: And you pay for our man.

Mr Sloan: Should not the County meet me part of the way? It is ehiefiv a County job. " The Ch.iinnan: This is the first intimation of that, and if it is so the County would do it wholly. We must settle this: that you are prepared to pay that ma n.

Mi- Sloan said ho was willing to pay t'or the services of one man for a day, and the motion was carried.