THE NORTHERN APPROACHES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10175, 27 February 1911, Page 5

THE NORTHERN APPROACHES.

CONTRACTpR AND ENGINEER

A CONCRETE QUESTION

• A" special meeting: of .the Masterton -i County Council was held on Saturday! last .to consider a letter received on February 17th from Mr Wilfrid ! Woolf, the contractor for the northern approach bridges. There were present: The Chairman (Cr.' W. J. Welch), and Councillors D. W. Foreman, James Miller, and P. J. Cameron. ! The letter from Mr,Woolf complain- j ed; in effect, of what he regarded as "unwarranted interferrence" of the County Engineer in requiring him to j comply with the specifications in the j miitter of .ramming the concrete for the piers; which he had demonstrated, j toliis own satisfaction, that such ramming affected the stability of the work by producing cracks iii the concrete. .'..-.• Messrs J. McHattie. John Hunt"-. S. Badtell and W. de B. Comnton attended with Mr Woolf,, who addressed the Council at some length upon the subject of bis complaint, and practically repeated thq contents of his" letter. , Conncillor Cameron asked if Mr Woolf would admit that he;was, wrong if the opinions of reliable experts were adverse to his own> - ;Mi< Woolf replied in the affirmative. The Clerk then read.opinions from the Under-S'ecretary\ of ,the Public Works department, and Mr William Ferguson, of Wellington. Both agreed that ramming \vas beneficial, aid that such ramming, instead of producing* cracks, would have a. contrary effect. These opinions havine" been read, the Chairman stated that the Council had no option. in view of these, but . to support- the Engineer in his, demand W compliance with tile specification. He. expressed the. hope, that the conr tractor take a reasonable of the matter, arid endeavour to work in harmony with the Engineer. Mr Wnolf asked if. in the event of his enrrviug out the instructions of the Engineer, the Council would indemnify him acrainst any defects which might subsequently appear in the work. : The Chairman replied that this was rather a large order. Mr Woolf then asked if he could submit the evidence of, the witn«ssos whom he had brought .'with him as to th« effect of ramminjr. The Chairrrsn replied that it was not ; 'u" that any Pood result would comp jrrom such evidence being riven. The Council were ouite satisfied upon the points raised in the letter. ■• -j .