THE HAMILTON ROAD CONTRACT AND THE ENGINEER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1962, 3 February 1885, Page 3

THE HAMILTON ROAD CONTRACT AND THE ENGINEER.

TO THE bbITOK. Sir,— Obspiv ing a letter m your last issue signed "John Gwynneth, C.E.," casting reflections on tho contractors and Mi Hewitt, ami trjing to exonerate himself from all blame, as one of the contractors penult me (tlnough your journal) to say a few words on our behalf. Mr (ittjiineth remarks tlmt he rofeiied tho board to the specification*. Why did ho not also refer them to the plan ? They would have then seen that the plan was no more like the woik than Auckland is like London. If .in engineer draws an incorrect plan, how are contractor to obtain their quantities correctly? Not surely through the specifications ? I should think that if the plan is not according to the work, tho contract to all intents and purposes is null and void. If the road had been woikod ■iccoiduig to tho plan, the cutting would h.ue made the filling ; it would ha\e lieon far less work for the contractors, and theie need ha\e been no extras, and the work would, I believe, h ue given satisfaction to the board and ratepayer. Mr Gwynnuth also says the price for tho extra work on the Hamilton load and Uiyce-street was h\ed (before we c< mi menced them) in the pirsence of the chahman ; in Kiying this, Mr (iwynni'th ha* not strictly confined himself to the truth. The only agreement we came to m the presence of the chairman was tin 1 puce for tho continuation of the Hamilton load to (Ju-v-^treet. He (the channian) then asked Mr Gwynneth if he would h.i\i> sufficient inateii.il to complete the fillingout of this extra. The reply mis "Yes, he (the engineei) thought so." If not, the blame ie-ted with him, for the contractors had completed their work when they arrived at the 13 chain peg (the terminus of the original contiact) and if any other work was rci|uned he would act fair between contractoi and bond. When the Hamilton road was completed to (Irey-strect we had carted about 1.50 loads into the filling : which we agreed to do for aboat £11 01 35s per chain. The engineer then finds he is still a con siderable quantity of u.uth short, and all he will allow to cait about TOO yaids off Btyce-street is £7 ; the inconsistency of the two prices is absurd, but I suppose that is whit ho calls justice between contractor contractor and boaid. I think his justice meant to keep the pi ice of the woik within his estimate, as I saw by a teportof tlie boaid mentmg that lie Jiad piomisud not to exceed the ne\t lowest tender, and at that tune we had exceeded that tender by about £'>. He al»o lemaiks that oui lettei wis miuely a "tiy on." I can iufoun Mr (Jwynneth that it was written in the spirit of right and justice, we did not wee wi.y we should suffer for hisblundeis to save his professional reputation. He also «ays it was in justice to other tenderers that lie would not back our claim up, (liur.e excuse). T think the other tendereis weie well out of it, as our contract amounted to £">3, or £8 below the highest tenderer. I think that is proof enough that he has made a grois mistake for even if tho highest tender (til, I believe) had been accepted ho would not have made his salt out of it. It would have taken £80 to £00 to form the stieot as it is now formed, and f .hen only leavo a very fair remuneration tor the contractoi. 8o it nnpeais tlmt if he was ught tho whole of the tenderers wore out in their estimate 1 !. I am sorry for trespassing on bo large a space in your journal, but I could see no other course in vindicating ourxohes. —lam, <fee., ()Nh Of rilK CoNIHACrOHS. - Cambridge, 28th January, 188."».

HhLKN- of Tioy was the first womau who wanted to go to Pari« and leave her husband at home. Goon I'OR 1! vim v s "— \\ c are pleased to sny that our b iby Wiis pcrm.inciitlj curoil of a s< nous protrartcd irregularity of tbc bowels by the use of Hop Hitters b) its motlicr, whu h it the s imc time restored her to perfect health and strength " Ihp Parents See