ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 23, 30 December 1863, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

TVS DO MOT BOM)' OUksEllvßS S HXSPONBIBUE - YOB THE OPINIONS} BXPttBSBED BT OCR \(To the Editor of the Irio&rcargitt Times.) ' " Sjn^ltSs now JMJme days since a most important decisioii^was given by^the Town" Board, to the effect that they held Messrs Campbell ancTCo. solely responsible to complete their 'contract lot gravelling Tay Street, in strict terms of the specification) and not to recognise a sub-contractor in the matter at ' all. 'After such, appearing in tlie public journals, the public vrerernaturally led to believe that immediate action would be taken 'by the Town Board to compel Messrs-Camp-bell and Co. to conform to those teims of specification, by placing good screened giayel on Tay-Stredt, aff 1 they are bound to do^urider: contract, instead of allowing _ them to use the abominable< rubbish' they are at present spreading. Now Mr Editor, as this -rubbish carting and spreading has gone. on forborne days since the decision, of the Board appeared in print, without any perceptible improvement in the quality 6f~ the gravel, it is obvious j to my mind that the interests of the public are being most basely tampered- with, likewise, that the Town Board have not done their duty, or that the Engineer to the Board i is playing false by not at once compelling Messrs Campbell and Co. to find screened gravel for Tay Street,, as determined by the Board,_and put an end to such a wholesale swindle of the public funds. The proper course to pursue in such a case, to my mind, as one of the public, is quite clear; if Messrs. Campbell & Co. will not carry out their contract in terms of the specification, and give satisfaction to the Board,, the Board are perfectly justified in calling for tenders to gravel the street in terms of the specification at the j contractors and theirsuretiesrisk and expense. \ Such a step would bring Messrs Campbell & Co. up to thescratchin no time, and teach them for the future to think twice before they pen I such impertinent letters as appeared in print, ! signed J. W. Campbell, trying to remove the responsibility from themeelves to a sub-con-tractor, thereby treating the Town Board and the public with the greatest contempt. In I tact, if the Town Board will not take further action in the ma ter, incumbent on them as a body representing the interests of the public, or call upon the Engineer to the Board to do so forthwith, I trust some more powerful pen than mine will agitate the matter by | calling a public meeting to insist upon jusj tice being done to Tay-Street, and the other | streets at present undergoing alterations and I improvements, by all and every contractor, without exception, who are at present under i engagements to the Town Board, and receiving monies from the public funds. This language may seem rather severe to contractors in general, but nothing like so sharp as the practice of the Town Board ought to be in compelling contractors to complete contracts strictly in accordance with the specifications, and prevent if possible, a repetition of the .abominable muddy street 3 of last winter. X remain, Sir, Yours, most truly, Pedestrian.