Bribery
Although the decision to demolish and rebuild a bigger and better Wesley Central Mission had caused a lot of trauma, it proved to be the easiest part.
Dr Alan Walker warned Gordon of the difficulties ahead and he was one-hundred percent correct. The various building and planning committees faced one hurdle after another. As fast as they solved one problem another cropped up—council permits, site inspections, water-board inspections, electricity-board approval, sewerage, town- planning, D A (Development application) B A (Building application) and a host of other requirements too numerous to list.
In carrying forward the tremendous undertaking Richard Menteith and his associates needed the patience of Job and the wisdom of Solomon. Despite the setbacks, the proposals and counter-proposals, the worries and headaches, God answered the WCM’s prayers for help and eventually all the preliminary requirements were sorted out.
Many prayers of gratitude ascended when all the paperwork was completed in July 1988 and Wesley Central Mission received permission to go ahead with their new high-rise Centre. “The biggest head-ache is trying to find temporary accommodation for the business offices and staff,” Gordon moaned to Beverley, “and then the personnel from the restaurant, Chapel and worship areas all have to operate somewhere. We’ve rented three different buildings—there wasn’t a hope of getting them all together—and they all have to be remodelled to suit our needs.
“It won’t be time-efficient, work-efficient or money saving, but there’s nothing else we can do. Let’s hope they get the new building up quickly.”
However, tearing down comes before building up and takes far less time. Long before the Mission’s temporary location was ready the demolition squad moved in, working around the staff. Board meetings convened with members shouting to be heard above the din of battering and the crash of falling timbers. Telephonists, with a telephone to one ear and a hand pressed tightly over the other, endeavoured to carry on conversations to the noisy accompaniment of heavy boots tramping by doorways minus doors. Hefty Romeos lustily rendered snatches of hit tunes as they passed the pretty secretaries.
Catering staff, office girls, pastors and teachers all battled along trying to concentrate on their tasks, while brawny fellows with tattooed arms, worked around them tearing out windows and removing fixtures, scattering dust, debris and bent nails in their wake.
Nobody actually said so, but it seemed that while the demolition company worked with great gusto at the Pitt Street premises, the renovator-builders at George Street seemed to be purposely dragging their feet.
It was an impossible situation and Gordon and his committees were at their wits’ end. A crisis appeared inevitable.
It came late one Friday afternoon when word spread that workmen on the George Street renovations had found a 50 cm by 37 cm piece of asbestos behind an electric power board. Instantly the relevant unions called all workmen off the site. Work stopped at the Wilmont and Central Street sites also, although no asbestos had been found on them.
Nothing could be done during the week-end but as soon as Gordon reached his office on Monday morning an official connected with one of the unions came to see him.
“It’s going to take months for that place in George Street to be thoroughly examined and cleared of any suggestion of asbestos,” he announced. “The law says that my workers must not be in the building until it has been checked for contamination.”
Work on the renovations was so far behind schedule now that Gordon could not entertain the thought of it being held up for months longer. The man’s cocksure manner had already aroused his suspicions but he decided to play along.
“Is there anything that we can do to help speed up the process?” he asked.
“There is,” the official replied with what could have been a trace of triumph in his voice, “but it will cost you money.”
Gordon made no comment and the official continued, “If I had $40,000 to share between the workmen they would do the search themselves, and once they were satisfied that the site was safe, they’d pretty quickly get on with the job.”
Again Gordon said nothing and taking his silence for consent the union official hurried on. “If you want that to happen, bring me the money in a brown paper bag to the bar of the hotel on the corner of Pitt and Wilmont Streets tomorrow at 1 p m. Don’t bring anyone else with you.”
Gordon took a deep breath. Was this really happening? Was he hearing correctly? Surely such blatant bribery only took place on TV, not in real life. He leaned back a little in his chair so that he could look the union official in the eyes before he replied:
“Wesley Central Mission is a Christian charitable organization and we will not pay bribes to have the building site cleared. We will use every other lawful method to get the work done.” He rose to his feet, “Good morning to you, sir.”
As soon as the union man had gone, Gordon called Dick Menteith and others who were deeply involved in everything connected with the new buildings. They discussed the matter and worked out a strategy.
Next day Gordon by-passed the unions and went straight to the building contractor in charge of the George Street alterations. Without using threats or coercion he pointed out the illegality of the unions’ demand. After letting that sink in for a moment, he quietly let the contractor know about the many influential people in the building industry and town-planning office who were not only Rev Moyes own personal friends but were sympathetic toward the Wesley Mission. The builder would not want his company to be black-banned for demanding bribes, would he?
The building contractor hastily denied any knowledge of the affair and to prove his honesty, in the weeks ahead he worked hard to have the site checked and declared clear, so that the men could get back to finish the renovations.
Even so there was a three week gap between demolition and renovation when the Wesleyan staff were literally homeless and had to occupy temporary quarters in the Teachers’ Federation auditorium in Sussex Street. Gordon, the opportunist, declared this three weeks as a time of spiritual renewal for the Mission staff and delivered a series of powerful addresses on “Moses in the Wilderness.”
Eventually all things, good or bad, come to an end and September 25 was chosen as moving day. At the appointed hour a crowd of more than a thousand people accompanied by bands and banners, marched down Pitt Street to the George Street theatre. This building, with the others at Wilmont and Central Streets, became the WCMs’ headquarters for several years until the grand new Wesley Centre was finished.
However, the Unions had the last laugh. When the crowds surged into the building they found that the lift drivers were on strike and would not allow the lifts to be used to shift furniture up to any of the offices. As well as that, the $1 million renovations were far from complete. Much of the building was still scarcely usable. There were hard days ahead for mission staff and worshippers alike.
In the long run it probably cost Wesley Central Mission far more than $40,000 to maintain its integrity, but no one complained.
Spring Fair was scheduled for two days after the move to these temporary quarters and Beverley and her helpers faced almost overwhelming difficulties. In among the jumble of furniture stacked outside unfinished offices they had to find places to erect and decorate their stalls; some vital areas lacked electricity and could not be utilized; masses of delicate handwork and perishable stock had to be brought in and set out on their respective tables while all around them workmen sawed and hammered and filled the air with noise and sawdust.
Despite all these drawbacks, at the appointed hour the premier’s wife graciously declared the Fair open and buyers crowded inside. Two days later the annual Spring Fair had raised $217,000, the second highest amount in its history—a fitting farewell to its former venue.
