WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 34, 10 February 1904, Page 2

WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT.

The borou'gh engineer reported ,011 Moiiklay night that work on the waU'rwos'ks contract was proceeding slowly. Yesterday Mr Mest'ayer, consulting engineer in charge of. the scheme, in company with Ml- Spencer and Mr Cliff, visitod the scene of operations at llian'giorei. As tlie result of his visit Mr Mestayer is anything but s-ati'S'lied with the progress or wiant of progress of the contractor. The tunnel proceeds but slowly, and work at tire Intake suffers in the same maimier. ©}X*rat'ions at the shiult cannot be proceeded with before the arrival of an engine which is now resting in a waggon with a broken wheel oil the side of the iiia tt ro'ad. Concrote work lias been commenced 'ill the tivmiel ; this is being very satisfactorily done, aud the engineer is well plensc<d with it. 'llhe failure of the contractor to proceed with work at the intake is an espoeiallv provoking feature, Mr Mewtfeiyer fearing that when tin." wet seastwi commences the rapid rise of the river will effectually prevent any work beii>g done there until next summer. Summing up the piotfi'tion as lie finds it, the engineer says that theie is not tlia | Slightest chance of the tunnel and intake contract being completed within the contract time, and if the penal clauses are enforced there seems little probability of the contractor making anything out of the work. He has had bad luck in some respects, his workmen having left for more congenial work above ground in New Plymouth. The first engine he procured was a failure, refusing to work, and this caused lurther idielay. There is more than half the tunnel to drive yet, and the time limit is not far off. Can the council take any steps to hurry on the work ? Winter will soon be here, and broken time will then rule. It is timo for the City Fathers to wake up, and to insist on greater speed and more business-like methods, otherwise New Plymouth will have to be content with the present water simply for a couple of years at least.