PROGRESS OF THE PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1922, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE PORT.

THE NEW WHARF. DAY LABOR ADOPTED. WORK TO BE EXPEDITED. A final decision that the new wharf at the port of New Plymouth be erected by day labor was made by the New Plymouth Harbor Board yesterday, jfhe board, at its last meeting, it will be remembered, decided to construct the proposed wharf in timber. Messrs. Blair Mason, Lee and Owen, the board’s consulting engineers, submitted the following report on the preliminary work in connection with the wharf:— “We are arranging to call tenders for ironbark piles, hewn ironbark beams, sawn brush box decking, totara for diagonal bracing, sheathing and muntz metal bars for bolts. We have the specifications for the ironbark piles practically completed, and have submitted the general conditions and agreement form to the solicitor, which he has returned to us all in order. The schedule of quantities and lengths attached to the specifications is provisional owing to the plans not being completed, but provision is made in the contract to revise it before acceptance. By that time full particulars will be available. We propose to make separate contracts for the hewn ironbark and brush box, as the quantities are sufficient to induce contractors to concentrate on one line of timber. W’e hope to have all tenders advertised by the end of the week. In connection with the drawings of the wharf for the Marine Department, these are in the initial stage, and will be completed as soon as the specification for timber, muntz metal, etc., are out of hand. The specifications and calling of tenders for carrying out the work by contract must be held over until the plans are returned from the Marine Department. “If the board decide to carry out the work by day labor it will be advantageous to at once decide on the methods of workj and make arrangements for plant and the preliminaries necessary for a work of this magnitude. This will allow the work to proceed as soon as the timber comes to hand. If day labor is adopted, such materials as bolts, washers, iron straps, pile rings, cast muntz metal nuta, etc., can be put in hand now by the workshop staff and kept well ahead of the construction. Having the advantage of an early start with the preliminary work, and the close proximity of the workshop to the wharf site, we are of the opinion that the work can best be carried out and in quickest time by day labor. Although a contractor may tender to do tne work in a stated time, there is no guarantee that he will. A penalty clause for the due fulfilment of the contract in the stated time would, of course, be inserted in the contract, but it is very difficult to enforce, and does not compensate for the delay.”

PRELIMINARY WORK. The chairman (Mr. C. E. Bellringer) said the report opened up the question as to whether the construction of the new wharf was to be done by contract or by day labor. In any case the bpard should do all it could in the way of preparatory work before the timber arrived. A plan of the new wharf had to be submitted to the Marine Department, and he expected it would be two months before a reply could be received from them. It was not possible for tenders to be in by next meeting of the board, so a special meeting would be necessary, probably early in December. Mr. Wilkinson thought the board could go right ahead and get all the material possible, as everyone was in a hurry to get the work done. Mr. G. A. Lee (one of the consulting engineers) who was present by request, said he expected to- have the specifications for the timber ready by the end of the following week, and the sketch plana for the Marine Department by the succeeding week. Mr. McCluggage moved: , That the matter of submitting the plans to the department be left in the hands of the chairman to expedite, he to go to Wellington if necessary. The motion was seconded by Mr. King and carried. Dealing with the calling of lenders for the supply of muntz metal, Mr. Wilkinson said the board should get competitive prices from London in addition to calling for tenders in New Zealand. His idea was that a London merchant, big enough to deal with anyone having the goods for sale, should be approached, as this would serve as a' check on the New Zealand prices, and might save the board some hundreds of pounds. It was agreed to send a cable in accordance with Mr. Wilkinson’s suggestion. DAY LABOR OR CONTRACT? Day labor or contract, was the next question debated. The system of day labor was advocated by Mr. Lee, who pointed out that a lot of the work, which a contractor could not conveniently do, could be done at the board’s workshop. Again, the board could always put on a double shift when necessary, to suit the tides, and so expedite the work, whereas a contractor might not be inclined to work double shifts. Then, in spite of the insertion of a penalty clause if the work were not finished on due date, there generally seemed to be a loophole so that the penalty could not be enforced. By day labor he would guarantee that the wotk would be finished in fifteen months from the time of starting. With a contract he very much doubted if a guarantee could be enforced, as a contractor could always advance good and sufficient reasons why work was being held up. Again, in calling for tenders, the material might not arrive by the time the contract was fixed to start, and a contractor would then have just cause fori a cla’m. Th” chairman pointed out that by the time tenders were in and contracts invited, it would bp January before a contract could I>p accepted, and practically February before the preparatorv work at the new wharf s'te could he slotted. There seem°d to him so many difficulties in the wav of a satisfactory contract being arranged that he had come tn the conclusion, after careful consideration, that the work of building the wharf could best be put through on time with a good man at the head of the work and with the board in control. Theoreticallv the contract system was the better one, but in this case tirrm was all important. The “ent” at the S’tc of the wharf was now finished, and he boned to see pile-driving started early in February. He thought the board should adopt th* engineer’s sug*

gestion, and he accordingly supported his recommendation. DAY LABOR AGREED UPON. Mr. Maxwell moved that the construction of the new timber wharf be carried out by the board itself by day labor. Mr. McCluggage seconded. Speaking to the motion, Mr. Wilkinson assorted that the success of day labor depended upon the class of man at the head of the work. Would they have another engineer, a foreman, or a clerk of works? These were details that had to be considered. As far as practicable the board should obtain the services of a qualified man who would push the work right ahead. The chairman thought the details in connection with the work should be taken in committee. He considered the board should have a special man in charge of the work, as it was unreasonable to expect their engineer to take charge of this work and at the same time carry on all the other work, which included work in connection with quarrying, reclamation, and the breakwater extension. The board should place someone in charge who could be held particularly responsible for the work, and could devote the whole of his attention to it.

Mr. Connett expressed himself as being previously in favour of the work done by contract, as he believed that on the whole that system was more efficient. At the same time, after hearing Mr, Lee’s remarks, he was prepared to waive his opinion in deference to the special wish expressed by the consulting engineers. The whole responsibility of the work, he considered, should be on a qualified engineer, and in Mr. Lowson the board had a young man, presumably anxious to make a name for himself, and he thought that Mr. Lowson, who had given the board his ideas on how to carry out the work, should be placed in charge. His must be the mind whoever was placed under him. The engineer had given the board his assurance that the work could be done in fifteen months. The speaker quite agreed that it would probably be necessary to have a foreman as well. A suggestion was made that the engineer should give a report on how the work could best be carried out, and the chairman said he would see that such a report was presented at the next meetmotion to carry out the work by day labor was then put and carried.