New Britain herald., 1930-02-13

i'Hfl''N u " ' '' handD
 ITO begin with, the school conl- mttct asked and received an appro- priation which, after the costs ot issuing and selling the bonds were deducted, allowed the committee $5&4.3S2.9o in actual money,
 Having only this amount on hand, the committee proposed 10 en- ter into contract with GenOVcsc X Rich for general contract at $&24,- SS0; J. J, Murphy for clocrica work at $24,f24; r. J. l;af for plumbing and heating at $73.261: architect. $15.GS3,So; and various other listed items totalng $5@,ol2.- 46. The total which the committee. with $534,3S2.9o to work with, was ready to contract to spend was S559. .967.2G.
 "In other words. if no delay had been encountered and tho original contracts allowed as recommended ivy the board, Inc city would be faced with q deficit represented in the difference in the money avail able and that represented in con tracts, or $95.5S4.36. To mphasizc that point, allow VIC to repeat: 1tc- gardless of whether there was delay or not, tho school committee had $25,5S436 less than the building was to cost by contract,
 But. there were delays and when the committee was authorized to proceed. the listed cost had shrunk from the first figure of $559,9G72G to $55I62S.2G. In other words, we had brought about a reduction in building costs of $2,339. and rcduc- ed the inevitable deficit to $23, 245.36.
 Then. the school committee add cd extras to the building, tota)ing $3S,4S2.14, making q deficit total Of S6t.727.50, exactly what the com- mittcc reports. Can the school com mittcc's inability to prepare financing plan for q construction job be traced 10 any delay caused by me? Can the school committees ap- parent inability to lay out H strnc-
  what is required in a school build ing. be laid to any delay which any one might have caused? IL would require just one such costly error to terminate q committees connection with private interests.
 Surprised By Kings statement
 "Chairman J. F. King of the is q h within his rights in offering a. de- fcnse to a portion Of the rath"r sweeping criticism Of his depart nicnt. contained in the report o" Hatfield. RothWell, Soulc & Coates, certified accountants engaged 'N the city to uucarth and remedy ju7, such conditions as they have claim cd exist in the school department,
 "On the other hand. it is not oniJ my right. but my duty as mayor to inquire into these conditions allI seek to have them rightrd Wh n I announced I would ask fer an 2E- planatiOn from the school cohlm't- tce and from others mentioned ii the auditors report. | did so W''l the expectation that coopcra'lnD would be given me. | was SurprlS Il 10 read in last nights paper that 1 Mr. King, instead of cooperating lS attcmptine to divert the attention ot the public from the important sup- noct q hand by shouting politics. "roN," and various other claims anI titles.
 lin this instance if the scho"I drpartlncnt has any dispute at 'Il f. is with the accountants. not Nh1 me If they have made c"rtao claims. and Mr. King is in poslllo@ ta rcfutc them aS he cia'nS nc r. ,hrn why does he not go directly if tho auditors and present hts cV'' d,nco. thereby gaining q clean b. for his committocr How does ms claim of politics help 10 clear lN. afmogphcrr? The auditors cia'" ,hnrn is no invoice evidence to sup, mort &i@.uoo in school committee q" r, nrliturc-. Mr. KinE claims r'f'
 Tine auditors have been nstrll l.l 10 make another search, atIorl' ing tna school rowuitto" ample oh ror.mit} '0 p0duc,, So much '"' that. Tnr t-ur }alo of affairs Wi' soon by known.
 -THr school coUmnrr. over : rcriod of @r",raH months. has f" rrat,d ujtn such frequency thai would moi b> surprised if tt"N h''' ronfo to u,ltrlc if themselves: Th' mayor has delayed work on 'H S4 nior Iu@G -ouool addition, and 2 has ro- tnc city &5o.ooo. Ingjden' ally. the u@,rn or yesterday ""' &4s. .nno had supposed diaruSsl". or this matter 10 hr+ ai an cnd hD in, school roumntro. stunE by 'h' fact that anyone would display t0' t.mrr1ty to question its dojn%7 f3 from its hisb and lofty seI5-con 4trurtcd pedestal. struck out m rar' .a-aIu-t those uho haE" i"nrn"' from sad experience, that all th" ruanarcs from this august body . not gospel
 Deficit Explained "I'olIowiu4 IS u list prepared h ihe school commute" 10 sho" lb . items which they failed to lnrInd ; in their building program an