The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning. Tuesday, February 12, 1889. THE STONE CONTRACT.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 259, 12 February 1889, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, AND Saturday Morning.

Tuesday, February 12, 1889. THE STONE CONTRACT.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

In our correspondence column lately a subject which has come in for much discussion is that of the arrangement for supplying stone for the Harbor Board. On one side the discussion is carried on in a mysterious way which does not help to enlighten the public, though there may be a hidden meaning in all that is said ; on the other side the points are laid down clearly and distinctly. In a letter published this morning a correspondent defines five points on which he alleges there is ground for complaint. As to the accuracy of the statements, it is not for us to judge. There appears to be no necessity whatever to enter into any controversy on the matter; the principle is plain enougli that it is wise to have public works done by contract, that course should be adhered to, and private tendering is not the correct thing when public money is being expended. As we understand the matter, when the members of the Boards were in doubts as to to what further expenditure they could legally make, the necessity of a fresh contract for supplying stone was brought up, and it was of course at that time considered inadvisable to enter into any permanent arrangements. The Engineer was instructed to get prices and make a temporary arrangement, and later on he reported that he had come to terms with Mr McLeod.

Since that period circumstances have greatly changed ; the Board's position is now defined, and specifications may easily be devised by which the work can be done honestly and perhaps at a cheaper rate. There is no need for any sentiment in the matter, and so far as we can see there is no greund whatever for ill feeling. Mr McLeod has evidently had the advantage of the Board’s abstention so far from interfef*

ing with the existing arrangement, and he certainly ought to have no reason to complain. What grounds the Engineer can have for saying that complications with McLeod will arise if tenders are publicly called for the work are not apparent to us, and as to this some further explanation is required, ft Mr McLeod has upon his own responsibility gone to expense in extending the tram line, he is himself to blame if he incurs any loss in consequence. At present we cannot see in what way complications can result, unless a private agreement has been • made, and we do not believe any servant or member of the Board has a right to make any definite terms unless they have been sanctioned by the Board. The Engineer is to present a general report on the subject at to-night’s meeting of the Board, and we hope that the next step will be to have the work done by public contract. It is a strange thing that a fortnight has to be wasted to allow for a report being prepared on a matter of this kind; the Engineer ought to be able to answer questions of this kind from his memory, and if that fails him a reference to the books of the office should be sufficient to clear up any doubt.