Water Supply Committee.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2548, 7 March 1877, Page 2

Water Supply Committee.

A meeting of the above-named committee was held yesterday evening in the Council Chambers. Present—His Worship the Mayor (in the Chair), Messrs Macnab, Ogour, Gibbons, Scott, Murdock, Read and Brodie. CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP. The Chairman read a certificate to the effect that Mr Murdock was elected to represent the Parawai District on the Committee. • MINT7TE3. The minutes of the previous meeting were read over and confirmed. CHARGES AGAINST THE TURNCOCK. Letters 1 were read from Messrs Davidson, H. Jury, R. H. Arthur & Co.,the first ofFering -to substantiate charges against the Turncock, the others protesting against his taking private contracts, a letter from Mr Laurie asking for an inquiry into his conduct, also copy of a letter sent to Mr Davidson asking him to be present that evening at 7.30, to substantiate his charges against the Turncock.

The following ie the letter from Mr Davidson:—February 24th, 187*7.— To the Chairman of the Water Supply Committee. Sir, —With reference to the practice of performing ■ private work by your Turncock, Mr W. Laurie, and an intimation, through the Advertiser, that such charges should be investigated by your committee; I beg to state that I am prepared to substantiate some of the said charges at such time and place as you may appoint, and beg, you will apprise me of the same.—l remain, yours, &c, A. DAVIDfON. . \

Mr Read thought this best course would be to have the matter referred to a subcommittee,^ as only one of the persons who had written on the subject" had been asked to be present. Mr Brodie thought it better to deal with the matter there and then.

The Chairman said th&t Mr Davidson, who had been written to, was present, and he thought they ou^ht to take his evidence at once, as lie had come at their feqnest. Mr Gibbons thought the others who' had written letters on the matter should have been asked to attend.

The Chairman said the best thing to do would be to take Mr Dayidson's evidence first; his charge was that Laurie had taken private work.

Dr^Kilgour' thought that they should proceed in the way they did in police courts, and hear what Mr Davidson had to say in the matter. i Ow

- This was agreed to. : Mr Davidson then said that all'he had to say was that the Turncock had put the : water into the Queen of Beauty battery from the Government Supply, and had put up a horse gin and'malt rollers for Mr Hogg the brewer. 'These were the only two charges he had against him at present. Tho water was taken into the Queen of Beauty battery about the beginning of the year. Laurie was there helping with the laying on of the pipes with Sampson in the day time during working hours. These two made a connection and then laid down the pipes into the battery. On the Monday morning following he saw the>ork had been completed. (Some discussion here took place as to what were the working hours of" the Turncock.)- Regarding the work done for Mr Hogg, witness said the work was done some time early in October. ..•-■:..The- Chairman said they^quld; not deal with the question in that case as the work had been done- before they existed as a Board. _ ■

This - concluded Mr Davidson's evidence.

Dr Kilgour. said that if they required further evidence they ought to hear what the others who had written, on the sub r ject had to say before hearing what Mr •Laurie had to say in defence. Mr Gibbons thought" they ought to probe the matter to the bottom, and that it"would be best to adjourn the meeting. The Chairman thought that in view of Mr Jury's letter they ought to adjourn the meeting. The Town Clerk said he thought Mr Jury w,as outside. . .. : . ; - 'Mr Jury not being found it was stated on behalf of the Turncock that he was willing to devote, his whole time, to the Borough work; he said he had taken two pieces of work, but in time when he would not be working for the Borough. •„,. The Chairman sai&they could not define the working times when the turncock had to work ; his duties-deemed to him to be like those of the sailor— . •

■\V^o worked for s'x days allJie d aYe, And on the sevea^ hol^concd the desk p,nd scraped the cable. „, 7 5 ' He considered Laurie had done his duty, and from what he had seen of him he might say that he had done the work of any two men. It was necessary that the turncock should be at the beck and call of the Committee, and not have certain fixed hours to work in, as in the latt?r case he would be of no use to them, for he might be absent just when he was most wanted. . Mr Laurie said .that regarding the charge of doing work for Mr Hogg he had simply been asked to give his opinion of what had been done; and had gone to , inspect it; he had done no work whatever for Mr Hogg. Dr Xilg-our proposed with regard to the complaint against the Turncock by ' Mr Davidson and others that this Commitfee are satisfied with Mr Laurie's explanation and accepts his offer to devote all his time to the work of the-Committee. / Mr Scott seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. EEPOET OF THE TUENCOCK. The report of the turncock was read as follows :—" Gentlemen, — I have the honour to report, for the information of the Thames Water Supply Committee, that 120 feet of the wooden flutning between the upper dam and the reservoir has been carried away through a landslip tbat occurred on the ground of Mr li. Prescott. I have also to inform you thatthe main pipe in Pollen-street nnder the Karaka bridge,-.was destroyed by the falling in of the Karaka bridge on the lltb. . of February, and also that when repairing the main pipe I found it silted up, so that the opening for the flow of water was not above 'H inches in diameter. I have

-Turther to report that the pipes leading out of the reservoir aro also corroded to the- same extent as those in Pollen street. Very little water can pass through them. I strongly recommend that the 10-inch pipe now" lying at the Thames Gas Company's yard be purchased at £10 per ton, and laid down from the reservoir towards the Parawai road. —I have, &c, W. Laurie, Turncock." The report was recired and after some discussion the further consideration of it - was postponed. ,: : .';. -.;-•- - FINANCE. '■■-- -w. Accounts to the amount of £75 16s 2d were passed for payment. pipes, &c. . . , ... Mr Read brought forward an offer from Mr McCaul to supply the Committeo with £2030 worth of iron pipes at £11 10s a ton. The money to be paid by, instalments of £500 a year for 4 year».>On the motion of-Mr Brodie the 1 consideration of theoffer was postponed, and the Committee adjourned. ><. U