THE ELECTRIC LIGHT CONTRACT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8010, 22 December 1905, Page 3

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT CONTRACT.

WHO IS DELAYING IT? At Jait night's meeting of the Borough Council a letter was received from the Brash Electrical Engineering Co., to the effect that they were not wholly to blame for the delay in executing tit electric light contract. The{plant, they said, was delivered in New Ply. mouth tome months ago, and they had h&n kept waiting for the power house building. Had these been completed as it ihonld have been, by the time the firm's men commenced the work on the mains, the whole contract wonld have been completed long ere this. Owipg to the fact that the building was not ready the company had to tale its men away, as it naturally eonld not afford to keep them waiting •beet until the home was ready. It #as not possible to pat them on again before the_ building was completed It wis hoped' the installation would be eomnleted within a few weeks. Messrs Stenart and Fenn, representing the Brush Co., wrote: From the Press reports of your last meeting we understand that yon are of the opinion that the work of installing the •Jeatrie power and lighting plant is not being pushed forward. We therefore beg to submit the following list of material which has been erected within the pa*t five weeks: 150 poles, over 30 miles of wire, the whole of the generating machinery and switchboard at the power-house; (the power-house plant -is now complete except minor adjustments, and such work as cannot be . completed until the water is placed at ' oar disposal); the whole of the Switchboards at the distributing statioa, and the greater portion of the (treet lamps. We tro«t that those Councillors who have not hail an opportunity of recently visiting the • various works will do so at an early dale, wh«n we feel sure that they will be thoroughly convinced that the work Of installing has been done with despatch and in a first-class manner, " " and that (he machinery supplied is of the very best workmanship. The Mayor said no one wanted to find fault with the quality of work or material, or with the work of the past lew days. There had been too much time lost from the start, and only the Brush Co., was responsible. For instance, they had not supplied plans, of the power-house promptly, and when at last one came, it' was so blurred that the Council returned it as useless.

. Cr Brooking said it wag all Tery ##U to forward n schedale of work done in the past w tt£ or two. Wlut •boot the month* previous f Cr Colli* »aid the Council would tire been saved hundreds of 'pound* t if the "Company had got as big a btutle on at the start as they were doing now." In ansirer to question", the Mayor said that Mr Meatayer had not given details necessary for the solicitor to give his opinion on the whole matter of this contract. The Town Clerk was instructed to reply to the letters.