BOROUGH METAL SUPPLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2614, 23 September 1909, Page 5

BOROUGH METAL SUPPLY.

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS TO BE OBTAINED.

At the conclusion of the ordinary business of the Borough Council last night, the Mayor moved that Mr. J. G. Jarrett be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of an "elevator and screening apparatus at the railway station for dealing with the Kaitaratahi gravel, and also plans and details of the plant for the handling of the metal at Gentle Annie quarry on the gravitation, and not the aerial system. Cr. Clayton asked if it would not be better to go through the report first. From what he had seen of it he thought there were several details in the report that Councillors must disagree, with, and many statements made in it were inaccurate. He suggested that they should take the report right through, in the hope of obtaining some further enlightenment. Cr Darton concurred with the suggestion to go through the report aiid deal with it generally. They could gather enough from the report without going to the extra expense of obtaining plans. , , , The Mayor said that be thought it would be deplorable not to get further details and the fullest information from Mr. Jarrett. If the loan proposals "were not carried they could not go in for any plant at Gentle Annie, although they would have to open up the quarry the best way they could. There would be no extra expense, as one fee would cover the lot. He urged them to allow Mr. Jarrett to supply the details, while the matter fresh in his mind. Cr. Collins said that it would be more advisable for them to go in more totally for Gentle Annie stone at about the same cost as Kaitaratahi shingle. He thought they were not justified .in taking any action until they were decided, how they were going to make the roads. Cr. 'Harris seconded the motion. Cr. Pet tie said that it seemed to.be an extraordinary and unbusinesslike plan to go in for plans and specifications before they bad considered the report in detail. Cr. Darton said that they would not be blocked in any way for want of the plans and specifications. They had Mr. Jarrett’s estimate, and until they knew what quantity they would want, he did not think Mr. Jarrett would be able to supply ulans and specifications. Cr. Smith said he did not altogether agree with Mr. Jarrett’s report, but if°the plans and specifications were not going to cost any more, he would support the resolution. They would want the plant, and if the loan proposals were carried they might find that the plans of Mr. Jarrett’s plant might be of no use to them. They should have the plans of the Gentle Annie plant before they went to the ratepayers. In reoly to Cr. Clayton, the Mayor said that"the matter of Mr. Jarrett’s fee was left by him to the Council. If the work was successfully carried out tlie Council might be in a better position to deal with him. Cr. Somervell said they undoubtedly required some better means of dealing with Kaitaratahi shingle than they had at present. He thought at any rate they ought to obtain the plans and specifications for that particular work. He thought, as well, that they should go through the report seriatim, but the plans and specifications would be useful to them, even if they did not adopt all of the reoort. . Cr. Clayton said that he was satisfied that a large portion of the report, when analysed, would show the figures to be inaccurate. He favored Gentle Annie metal, but thought that perhaps instead of going in for the increased expenditure they might go on as they were, considering the quantity they required. There were some things in the report which would lead them to believe that Mr Jarrett was more of a mechanical than a civil engineer. He had an opinion of a very high authority which showed that Mr. Jarrett’s estimate of the cost of haulage was quite wrong. He could not .support the motion for the procuring of plans, etc., because he thought the figures in the report were wrong. They did not know if Mr. Jarrett- had allowed anything for standing charges. The Mayor: Oh yes he has. Cr. Clayton: It does not say so in the report. Continuing, Cr. Clayton proceeded to criticise several items of expenditure proposed in the report, claiming that many of them were absolutely inaccurate. There was no quarry in the Dominion capable of turning out metal crushed and broken at Is o£d per yard. A large quantity of stone could always be hauled cheaper than a. small quantity. but Mr Jarrett’s report apparently contradicted this. There were manv other discrepancies in the report, and he could absolutely prove that his linage estimates were totally wrong. On all these grounds he could not vote for tho motion to obtain plans and specifications. At this stage (11.20 p.m.), Crs. Kirk and Pettie retired. .... Tho Mayor said that the hostility shown to the report only showed the necessity of getting the full details oi the scheme "it was beyond Ins comprehension to see how any Councillor could get up and say that the report was wrong. However things went they would ho in a much better position than they were at present. A great amount of unnecessary talking had been done. If they got the plans they would he in a better position to discuss the report. . In reoly to a question, the _ -Mayor said that the Council had decided to adopt the Gentle Annie quarry as their source of m<etal supply after tho tests had been made. „ , Cr. Clayton said that the Mayor had given an assurance that Gentle Annie would not he adopted until the whole scheme had been thoroughly discussed. The motion, on being put- to the meeting, was carried by 6 votes to 2. It was then decided' that the Council meet and fully discuss the report on next Wednesday evening.