THE CORPORATION WATER PIPES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 148, 10 September 1872, Page 6

THE CORPORATION WATER PIPES.

To the Editor of the Cromwell A nous. Sir, —lu reading your report of the proceedings of the Municipal Council in last Tuesday’s Argus, I was very much astonished at the way in which the Mayor expressed his opinion as to the irregular and unbusinesslike manner in which the water pipes had been ordered from Briscoe and Co., in my own name, and not as a member of the Corporation. I ask space in your paper to show that the transaction was perfectly businesslike, and to defend myself against such a damaging imputation as that published in the report.

In November last, the Public Works Committee, after having levels taken, and consulting as to the best and cheapest mode {within their means to accomplish) of supplying the town with water, drew up a report, which was submitted to the Council. In it we recommended that 1300 feet of din. iron pipes be laid from the terrace to below Mr Goodgcr’s house. The report was unanimously adopted, and I was instructed to make enquiries about the cheapest way of getting the pipes. At that time there were none to be had in Dunedin, so the matter laid over till March ; when that part of the town-race got so bad, we saw it was imperative to get the pipes at once. I laid a memorandum from Briscoe and Co. before the Council at a meeting on the 21st March, which, I think, said pipes from Melbourne would cost £ls per ton landed, while from England the cost landed would be only' £lO. It was unanimously resolved that I should write to Briscoe and Co. to get the pipes out from England without delay. 1 wrote for them the following day, and three days after, the order left for England.

Briscoe and Co. is a firm I have done business with for the last nine years, and as all communication 1 had about price was between them and myself, to facilitate the business I ordered the pipes in my own name, as I knew Briscoe and Co. would rather have my name than that of the Corporation for the erder. After all this writingletters and paying postage, Mr Fraer, my coadjutor as Councillor and successor as Mayor, has the effrontery to pronounce the transaction irregular and unbusinesslike. I leave the ratepayers and your readers to judge, after this explauation, whether it is or is not. While in the office of Mayor, I could put up with a little abuse, but now that I am out of the office, I will not submit with impunity to any such damaging remarks. Asking your forbearance with my necessarily long explanation,—l remain, yours, &c., Jamks Taylor, Cromwell, Sept. 7, 1872.