THE MAILS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81899, 5 December 1906, Page 4

THE MAILS

WEDNESDAY, DECK ER 5-. For United Kingdom and CantiMnt of Europe, via Monte Video and Teneriffe, per s-». Athenic, from Wellington, at 6.15 a.m. Correspondence need not be specially a'dresse'*. Mail doe London January 25. For Auckland and north, per Ra tin. at 7 p.m. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6. For Australian State*, etc., at 6-15 a.m. Due Sydney December 12. For Ceylon. India, China, Straits Sett, meat*, etc-, also United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via Sun, at 6.1s a.m. Mail due London January 18. For- South Africa, per Wilcannia, from Melbourne at 6.1 a.m. Due London about January 6-. For Wellington and South pet Sotoiti, at 10.30 a.m. For Auckland and tTrth, per Ta kapuna. at ; p.m. FRIDAY DECEMBER 7. For Auckland and North, per Rarawa, at 7 p.m. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8.

For Australian States, at 7 p.m. Dtie Sydney IJecember 14. For Ceyrani India, China, Straits Settlements, etc., ata United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via Suez, at 7 p.m. Maii due London January 20. For Auckland and North per Takapuna at 7 p.m.

Mail* for Fiji and Samoa, per s.s. Atua, clow at Auckland on December 11. There will be no mail despatched t> Auck'and on December 10, and Hone will be received from Auckland oa December 12. On and after the 3rd inst. the name of the post office now known n "Douglas Road" will be cnangej to ''Douglas." Commencing on December 7th, direct «teami£ from Welington for Sydney will be despatched every third Friday, initead of Saturday, so as to make clone connection with the Suez mail leaving Sydney on Tuesday afternoon. F. D. HOLDSWORTH. Chief Fotmaster.

COUNTY CONTRACTS. ]

TAPUAE IN PARTICULAR

At the Taranaki County Council meeting on Monday. tie Engineer Mr Juhn Skinner, reported thai the' contract for till) culvert tunnel at Tariki was progressing favorabiv. about 80 feet having been driven tlnough good 6 lid country. The contract for toncicte bridge at Norfolk load wa> in a forward condition, the foundation being ccmp!c:a, and the coutractorc preparing to put in the arch. He was entitled to a further progress payment of jfiiio. Difficulty was f.und in putting down the 6outh pic, which had to be put below the pecifcd depth. Tiie P!akau bridge filling was complete, the contractor. Mr Tarry, having carried out t;ii ß contract in specified time, and without inconveniencing tb e traffic, the road being closed only two and a half hours to remove the old bridge. As nr. stoppage of traffic tojk place during the erection of the new bridse, 1 the result was very satisfactory, flj «ide> completing thu contract. Mr Tarry bad delivered q6 yards of broken metal on the road. The contractor for tbe Piakau bridge had finished facing the parapets. Mr Sangster had made a thorough job and tlic •l ridge wa: a credit to him. The Waiongona budge coslract, though •low at starting, was now in a forward atate. Both piers were practically complete up to the spring of the area. The contractor had large quantities of material on the ground, anJ should the same rate of progress b' maintained, the work should be well mi to completion by the beginning of the New Year. He had certified lo a progress payment of .£350. Tne foundations were on conglomerate and rock, the best he had struck. The contractor for the Manganui bridge had made no start on the ground, but had ordered the steel from Great Britain. He had notified the contractor to get on with the piers, so that no delay ohould take place on rece ; pt of the girders. The contractor for Tapuae had made slow progress with his contract. On the 27th November He had commenced filling in the riverbed. The number of handi engaged at this work on the 29th was six, with two trucks, and on ih e Ist in t. ttoesame number of men were engaged. The contractor complained of the difficulty of getting men. In any cabe in work should have been done at this filing unless sufficient plant and men •were ther e lo rush the work on through the preliminary stage of procuring the filling. No attempt Bad been made to protect the works, from any overflow of the river. On ealllng the contractor's attention to '•'his, he put two men on pu'-ting in sandbags at ihe intake dam. The engineer asked tiie Council to empower him to assist the contractor in procuring men, payments to be mau.' by tbe Council and to be deducted fiom the contract price. Harford was entitled to a progress payment of £l5O. "W-thout wishing to imply that tne contractor wishes another wash-out,'' wrote the engineer, "I would point out that the manner of carrying out uil work ha; been such that risks die taken which should not be taken in an important work of this kind, ano now after the loss of earth hitherto experienced the contractor has made no effort to prevent a further wa.ihV OQA, as no protection is made to the filling. I advised the contractor as t J tne manner of carrying on the work ana gave an order to Mr Newton King to supply bag., for a sand-bag wall. The contractor accepted delivery of 200, but had not used them up to Thursday. One hundred have Oe«n used at the intake wall. This, i hope, will protect the embankment, but the embankment should be made to protect itself., and the wall should be built up as the embankment, is Carried acros. the stream bed. To fili it in as t. done is only lo court disa ter. The present rate of progress, even if no wash-out occurs, means that the job will not be completed for tour months. At least four trucks should be at work and twelve men. .ri '1:- v.ork should Be carried aero j t;i-_ l.ver.

M~ Hjrioi.;. uii contractor, wrote that lie was j>r ceding with tne contra t as fast as possible, but experienced difficulty in getting men. Cr. George moved '.hat the engineer's recommendation regarding Uii> engaging of men be given effect to. The work mu-t be pushed on with greater expedition if the work were to be finished within reasonable time. Cr. Tate seconded. Tlie engineer »aid that the contractor was willing to work with him, and promised to assist in this course. In answer to questions, the engineer (said that his idea was to appoint a working fur.man to tupervr e the work. Ther e should be no difficulty. Cr. Adlam questioned the advisabiene»j of this course.

The Chaiiman said the Council had an engineer, and mu6t take his advice. Councillors were not the engineer#.

Crs. Hopson and Hill considered th e Council could not take notice ot Cr. Adiam's amateur engineering -e----coinmendatioos.

Cra. Hopson and Adlam started a little mutual recrimination, until the Chairman interspo ed. Cr. Andrew* asked if the Council could take the contract from Haifurd. He understood the solicitor's advice was to that effect. He did not believe in assisting tie contractor. The Chairman said the Council was navr going ahead to put on men to complete the work. The contractor would continue at work. It mu tbe plain that the men put on by the Council were working for the Council. Cr. Andrews said if the engineer were not going to work with the contractor tncre would be a "mcss-up." The engineer - aid it was equally necesaarv that the contractor shoui" l work with him. lie could gU con tractors to complete the job. and was prepared to undertake and' complex we work him elf.

The engineers recommendation was adopted.