TE WHITI BRIDGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 April 1943, Page 3

TE WHITI BRIDGE

RESUMPTION OF WORK DELAYED INSTRUCTIONS NOT FOLLOWED. STATEMENT BY COUNTY CHAIRMAN. A statement of the position regarding the Ruamahanga River bridge at Te Whiti was made today by Mr R. E. Gordon Lee ,chairman of the Masterton County Council. “The Masterton County Council discussed at some length yesterday a report presented by the County Clerk (Mr J. C. D. Mackley) concerning the Ruamahanga River Bridge contract, regarding which the Prime Minister advised on December 23, 1942, that the Commissioner of Defence Construction had issued instructions to the contractors to resume the work in the first week in February,” said Mr Lee. “The work not having been resumed in accordance with that instruction, I detailed the steps that had been taken in an endeavour to get the contract under way, and informed the council that the Prime Minister had arranged for the Minister of Public Works to look into the matter. The Minister of Public Works advised me by telegram on March 26 that the Commissioner of Defence Construction had completed arrangements with the contractors to\ resume work at the bridge on Monday, March 29. “The work has not been resumed on this date, and while the council has gone a long way in an endeavour to meet the situation, it is obvious to me, and I am certain the council will agree, that the major items in dispute have nothing to do with the resumption of the work on the contract,” said Mr ’Lee. “It seems to me that, in accordance with the instruction of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works, which was backed up by the Commissioner of Defence Construction, the work should be proceeded with and these major items in dispute subsequently dealt with by arbitration or otherwise. “Like many other matters, there would appear to be a total disregard of authority in this instance,” said Mr Lee, “notwithstanding that under the regulations the rights and liabilities of the parties to the contract are fully protected under the Emergency Regulations, but I have hopes that, following a further telegram which I despatched to the Minister of Public Works yesterday, the contractors will be compelled to resume work immediately. Some members of the council suggested that if the Government is not prepared to take a firmer stand, the council itself should do so, and it is probable that some such action will be taken if the work is not resumed at an early date.”