CO129-412 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [7-8] — Page 293

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As regarda materials on site these had been amply allowed

for; as to the value of timber, it could not have amounted to

any great sum considering only 14 logs were delivered at Cause- way Bay in August and 13 during September and these would requir to be sawn up and worked, in any case it is obvious that the

- in material was amply paid for by the advances of $10,000 April and $2,500 in August apart from the question of waste and

leakage.

I was on the site with the Hon. D.P.W. yet I was not asked

one question as to payment,

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The fourth advance of $2,430 was made on the 31st October

1910 and the fifth for a sum of $900 on the 30th November 1910 these two payments were for full value of timber delivered (vide

Hon. D.P.'s minute of 15.9.10 c.3.0. 2795/1902.

The fact of paying the Contractor in full even for timber

delivered where certain waste in cutting is inevitable must re-

duce the amount of secuir - 10% to 15% is usually allowed for

waste in ordinary cases - here the workmen have had no supervi-

sion from the Contractor and there has been excessive waste.

The sixth advance of $6,000 - was made on the 27th January

1911, after the Hon. D.P.. interviewed His Excellency on the

25th January.

I attach copy of the Contractor's letter dated 23rd January

marked "L". This letter was referred to me and I opposed payment

and pointed out that certain sums would eventually have to be

deducted from the final account. I would here state that this

was the second and last time that the matter was ever referred

to me.

The seventh advance of $3,888.08 was made on the 10th Feb-

ruary 1911 and the eighth for a sum of $957.18 on the 21st

February 1911, the last two amounts named making a total of

4845.26 for payment to lessrs. Jardine Matheson & Co. for