CO129-419 - Individuals - 1914 — Page 169

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I was not in any way connected with the contract

for the Foundations until nearing completion.

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It will be noted that, the greatest delay

tending into many years, occurred over the Contract for

the Superstructure and the Contract for Fittings, such

delay was occasioned by the indifference and neglect of

the Contractor who made no effort to complete the work,

and who was frequently absent from the work for periods

extending into many months, and who also failed to provide

labour and material for the due execution of the contracts.

As regards the contract rate and the continued

and vexatious delay of the work connected with the Super-

structure and Fittings, at the time the contract for the

Superstructure was entered into there was a building boom

in the Colony, and Contractors generally were obtaining

practically their own prices for work. Chan a Tong

(the Father) was a reliable Contractor and he entered into

the contract for the Superstructure but died about a year

afterwards and his son continued his business and took

over the contract. He could have completed the work

within a reasonable time and profited by it, but instead

of attending to the work he neglected it and although I

repeatedly complained to him of the great delay as well as

excessive waste of material and labour he made no attempt

to remedy matters.

Although he proved such an unreliable man, Mr.

Chatham selected him (the son) to take the contract for

the Fittings, etc., four (4) years afterwards, viz:- in

1908.

This Chan a Tong addressed a letter to Mr. Chatham asking for his assistance and obtained the contrac