HAMILTON GRAVEL CONTRACT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2992, 17 September 1891, Page 4

HAMILTON GRAVEL CONTRACT.

TO Till; KPITOIi. Si i:,—Your correspondent " H.Fi." (for s one. reason best, known to himself) very cunningly makes it a(i| oar that I supported tho contractor's claim for t'J Is 3d for gravel that he never carted. The Mayor asked me if f would move that tho account in paid. I said 1 would do nothing of the kind ; the thing was totally foreign to my mind. I fearlessly challenge your correspondent, or any other man, to prove that I ever lent mysell to a job of any kind, either inside or outride ot tho Council; but I hope that 1 .-hall always stand up for wlia'. I consider right and just. Now, 1 did make a :,tatcuionL that it was unfair of tiie Council to engage a day wage mau to do work which, I believe ill all fairness, ought to have beon given to the contractor. Now, 1 should like to know what the Council would think of the contractor if ho rofused to cart gravel long distancos. .It is a well-known fact that at tho price of the contract, long distances do not pay the Contractor and ho expects to pull up on the shot t distances. I know voty well that the liuauccs of the Ooimcil aro low, and, from ail appearances, aro likely to remain in that condition. Clarence-street could very well have remained undone until after the contract for gravelling had expired, and then the work could have been undertaken without anyone feeling aggrieved. Tho street has been a quagmire all winter, and now that the summer is coming on it would have answered very well. If the pit was v mdomni'd, why use the material'! Tho Council were tiover consulted on tho matter. It was only a quibble to call it formation ; the road had been previously formed. I am quite satisfied with the action I took in opposing the increase of salary to tho tjwn cierk.—Yours, etc., •Ions" Pari:.