Page 66 - Bulletin 7 2003

63

and Bennett was sent on leave. Olive was asked to investigate the matter, and
found there was little substance to Collie’s claim and Bennett’s approval of the

higher rates. Bennett was immediately dismissed by Gourlay, who replaced him
with Mr. Westhofen. Council treated the overpayment of £6 000 as an advance,

and requested Collie to continue with the work, but with no payment until the £6

000 had been worked off. Collie refused and then declared himself insolvent.
Immense problems now developed. Work could not be carried out on a contract

basis as contractors were aware of the ground problems. Tenders would have
exceeded the Council's budget. Council thereupon took up the work

departmentally. Tensions ran high with various councillors resigning, and the
Council had to negotiate a further loan of £15 000 with the Standard Bank to

avoid bankruptcy.

The Auditor-General was called in to investigate the Municipality's affairs,

which he described as chaotic and badly managed. Council were unable to pay

other contractors until the Standard Bank loan was granted and litigation ensued
with, among others, A. B. Reid & Co., one of the leading builders in the Cape

Colony, who were building the Pump Station. These delays, especially along the
Main Road, which remained the main route of the pipe-line, meant considerable

disruption not only to the Main Road, but also to the side roads where branch
lines had to be extended to houses. This caused endless letters of complaint and

suing for damages by ratepayers, especially where flooding occurred through

blockages, and damage occurred through the blasting of rock.

Kimberley Boarding House (Mrs. B. Williams) and “The Moorings” in Leighton
Road (Mr. W. T. Buissinne) both suffered considerable damage from blasting, as

did Mr. T. J. Anderson’s “Beaufort Cottage”. Of the Council’s total claim
against Collie of over £10 000 only £2 120 was adjudicated as payable by the

Supreme Court in October 1907. But this was to no avail, as Collie was bankrupt

and only £225 was collected from sureties. Further acrimony then developed in
the Council and Mayor Gourlay proposed that the Council’s solicitor, Mr. D.

Tennant, be refused further work from the Council as Tennant had recommended