Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1107, 29 July 1879, Page 3

Correspondence.

(Our correspondence columns are impartially open to all, but we do not in any way identify ourselves with opinions expressed thcrcvi.J

Sib, —Will you kindly afford me space in your valuable paper, when convenient, to reply to that long f abricatien of—what will I call it ? lies—no, I it falsehoods, written by J. Forrest, on the report of the late Trustees of the Cambridge District Highway Board. If it had been moderately near the' mark I would have let it slide, but it's too much of a good thing. I consider it would have been acting very unfair to my colleagues and myself if I allow the matter to go unnoticed. 1 am very much astonished at Mr Forrest being so desirous of letting all the readers of the Waikato Times know that he was one of the contractors refered to. If he had kept out of print, only a few of the ratepayers might have known it. Had I had the remotest idea that he had that ambition I could have named him' in the report, although, I did not know it was to be published. The following is where the shoe pinches:—Tenders were invited by the .chain, Forrest's tender was the only one received, and it was an offer to do the work by the yard, Is per cubic yard. The trustees accepted his tender i as sent in, and the Board put their man on to spread the gravel, and keep an account of the number of loads, and the Board sent an Engineer to measure. Still, Forrest ' sent in his account for so many chains of road gravelled. This we objected to pay, as he was carrying by the yard, in accordance with his tender. He (persisted to be paid by the chain and threatened law but suggested arbitration. The latter we refused at first, but afterwards accepted rather than hand a legacy of a lawsuit over to our successors, as our term of offipe would have been out ere it was possible to get the matter heard. The arbitrator was appointed (Mr E. B. Walker), and the award was that the Board should only pay £2 odd, instead of £32 odd. That is what fits Forrest so tightly. The next matter is the Victoria Road, and what it cost. I admitted to Mr Forrest at the meeting that I had underestimated the work, but that the £3OO, which was the amount of the contract for the completion covered more than double the amount of work that was anticipated to do when I said £l5O would make it a good road. In that, Mr Breakell will bear me out. And as to calling for three cheers for the way the contractor had done his work, I cannot see what harm was done there. What work the man has done is done well, but he has not done enough in accordance with his contract." The outlet-drain is not sufi- . ciently large to take away the water to level {stipulated. Now for the light waggons: The waggons, I admit, are light as compared with railway waggons, but one of the teams referred to is

the heaviest and strongest in Waikato, and instead of lOcwt. they had on SOcwt. each. The two large waggons and the small waggon had 20cwt on. This was stated to several of us by Mr Forrest, the Eureka gardener, while waiting at Cambridge for the Avaggons coming. Now, I will ask any one of common sense, was that a reasonable load to, try and bring over a newly formed road over a swamp that was considered almost impracticable, and after it had rained the whole night and morning up till 10 o'clock a.m.? The only other matter that is Avorth notice, is the pay to the Engineer. A sum of £42 odd was the pay he got, not £lO6. The ballance was paid for surveys of neAV roads and stopage of roads "not required, to Mr Shephard and others. As to the capabilities of my collleague's and myself, I will leaA'o that for Avhat it is' worth. Apologising for tho amount of space this lengthy reply Avill require.—l am, &c, James Runciman, late chairman, Cambridge District Highway Board. Marsh Meadows, 24th July, 1879.

Sm, —"Wauld you kindly allow me space for a few remarks, regarding the public meeting held on Friday last, in reference to the Public Hall for Hamilton. A report has been current in Hamilton, that the Oddfellows had been canvassed, and attended in a body/for the purpose of upsetting their meeting. This, sir, I, as member of tho above order, most stoutly deny, and can most confidently assure the public that the party at the meeting referred to, Avere not authorised by the Lodge to take any part whatever in the meeting. At the same time, sir, I acknowledge that the amendment was brought forward by an Oddfellow, and may possibly haA'e been supported by two or three others of the order. I am also in a position to say that, out of the forty supporting the amendment, there were not fourteen Oddfellows among them. An Oddfellows' Hall, if built,° can only be done by that order (without someone is charitable onough to them one) and is tqrmod an QdcU fellows Hall, and does not include the name of "Public Hall." Now, sir, knoAving this, as I do, I fail to see what interest that hedy could have the building ot a Public Hall. Uhe seconder of the amenment, I may also sav is not an OddfelloAV, and has no claim whatever on the order, and, therefore, in doing bo, must have done it for his oavb

private purpose, and not, as stated, for the Oddfellows. In conclusion, sir, I would suggest that a. meeting of the ratepayers be called, for the purpose of building a Public Hall, as it is a well known fact, that more than •half those who opposed the original resolution, had no stake in the borough whatever, beyond a pick and shovel, but whose hands, when put up at a public meeting, are counted, and as a ballot cannot be called for at such meeting, those persons who have a stake in the district, have to put up with such decision, which is not a fair one. Still further, I cannot help thinking that it's the old song, not Oddfellows v. Public Hall, but East Hamilton v. West. When wil l this petty felling cease.—l am, &c, Geo. E. Browne. July 28, 1879. . ♦— MR McMINN AND HIS CONSTITUENTS. Sir,—l see by a telegram in to-day's ' Herald' that our member, Mr MoMinh, acknowledges that he has done more for Sir George Grey than an honorable man was justified in doing. He further states that he will explain his position at the end of the session to his constituents. I trust, sir, that he will have an opportunity of doing so before the session closes, as I feel certain that the majority of Waipa electors would prefer to' be represented by a man who had a mind of his own, and who would take independent action in a crisis like the present, instead of sitting on a rail and disfranchising his constituents. —I am, &c, Waipa Elector.