FINNERTY ROAD BRIDGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1920, Page 6

FINNERTY ROAD BRIDGE.

ALLEGATIONS OF BUNGLING. STRATFORD COUNTY COUNCIL'S BftFENOE. At the meeting of the Eltham County Council on October Oth, one of the councillors was reported to have said that owing to the bungling of the Stratford County Council the cost of building tin: new Finnerty Road bridge would he almost doubled, and he doubted if the Eltham Council should be called on to pay its proportion of the increased cost. This statement aroused 'considerable indignation amongst members of the Stratford County Council, and at Saturday's meeting of that council the matter was brought up by Or. J. B. O'Neill, the member for the district in which ilie bridge is being built. He complained that the remarks made by the Elthkm councillors were most unfair, and asked the chairman tn put the positon planly before the meeting. The,chairman (Cr. E. Walter) said he was greatly surprised at the Eltluim councillor making remarks, and he felt sure that the chairman could have put the councillors right, as lie was fully conversant with the facts in regard to tile bridge. The plans had been agreed upon by the Eltham and Stratford engineers, and their engineer had estimated the cost to be .£IBOO. It was agreed that. Mich council would pay half of the cost and a>t the most the extra cost, due to the increased cost of materials, would not.,be more than £2OO above the estimate, lie could not understand why the Eltham councillors had said that the cost would be doubled. Regarding the alleged bungling, the council had advertised for a foreman, and being determined to get a good man. had oifercd £G per week wet or dry, They engaged n foreman whom they believed to be an exceptionally good man for the work, but he was not satisfactory, and the engineer had to discharge him. He wished to assure the council that foremen for ferro-eoncrete bridges were very hard to pick up, and rather than run the risk of engaging another foreman who might also prove unsatisfactory, the engineer had engaged a man who was known to the Eltham Council, and was considered to be the best man for the work. The Eltham council had complete confidence in Mr. Cave, the man engaged, and it was understood that his services would be available immediately, but unfortunately a number of circumstances arose which prevented Mr Cave from starting the work. That, was the reason why the bridge had been delayed, and he thought it was better to have been delayed tlmn to have run the risk of not having a good foreman. Cr. O'Neill said in June last he asked when Mr. Cjve would start the work and he was informed that he would start on July 1. The chairman agreed that this was so, but circumstances had prevonted Air, Cave from making a start then. Cr. T. R. Anderson: We won't suffer by the delay, seeing we've got Mr. Cave i io do the work. The engineer (Mr. .T. W. Spenee) said that he believed Cr. Carter's remarks had not been correctly reported/ The chairman of the Eltham Council had said that he did not remember the remarks being made.

Tlii> engineer's report contained the following paragraph in reference to the bridge:—"The work on the Finnerty Road bridge is progressing satisfactorily, the reinforcing is a!! bent to shape, the making of the parapet pannels is well in hand, the concrete foundations for supporting stringer framing are being let inter ti.e river bed, prin'tically the whole of the material was on the ground, and paid for before the restarting of the work, tho cost of completion will almost entrely be a matte of wages." McAllister, photographer. Stratford, has the best equipped studio in Tarannlci, a capable stuff and years of experience. Beside? this tin* prices are Ti.e lowest in the Dominion for the same class of work. Make an appointment without delay. What better present can you give yourself or your friend than a Fountain I'en? Now that you can obtain a reliable Fountain Pen for a very small ~itin, is it wise to be without one? We pave u large variety of self-lining pens, -tvlos, and safety pens. in'dndiug the well known makes of Sc]!C-ii ,"-s and John Whitworth, at. prices racing from 10s to 2 guineas. Tell 11s wiiar style of i.ili yon 'ike. 11. .1. Hopkins, Stationer, Stratford.