HOSPITAL SUPPLIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22139, 19 June 1935, Page 14

HOSPITAL SUPPLIES

GROCERIES AND DRUGS QUESTIONS FROM MERCHANTS POLICY OF THE BOARD Details of the procedure followed by the Auckland Hospital Board in placing its orders for various supplies were given at a meeting of the board yesterday in reply to questions raised in a, letter from the Auckland Provincial Wholesale Merchants' Association. The association asked whether it was a fact that practically all the grocery and drug requirements of the hospital were purchased without competitive prices being obtained, and whether business had been equitably distributed I among Auckland merchants. It lad { been stated that practically the whole j of the grocery business had been placed | in the hands of one merchant and i practically the whole of the drug business in the hands of another. The association thought that all merchants should have an opportunity of quoting' and that goods should not be purchased above the ruling market price A memorandum from officers of Jie board stated that no requirements in the grocery or drug lines were purchased without competitive prices beino: obtained. Tenders were called annually for various supplies and services and prices in those cases remained firm for one year only. Every endeavour was made to distribute the business evenly and during April different orders were placed with 151 firms. Apart from one yearly contract there were at present 10 wholesale grocery firms and eight wholesale drug firms quoting for supplies. Under the board's system it was almost impossible to pay more than the ruling market price for any goods. It was decided to reply to the association in terms of the memorandum.

ACCEPTANCE OF TENDERS FOOD AND COAL PRICES Tenders for the supply of foodstuffs and other articles to the institutions controlled by the Auckland Hospital Board were received at a meeting of the board yesterday. The successful tenderers and their prices are as follows: Bread, Walter Buchanan, Limited, 3 5-10 d a loaiF to all institutions and 4 3-16 d a loaf to relief recipients; butter, New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, 10Jd a pound; bacon, Nikau Bacon Company, Limited, 7sd a pound; meat, Auckland Meat Company, 4j|d a pound to institutions and 4Jd a pound to relief recipients; sausages, Nikau Bacon Company, Limited, beef 3d a pound and pork 4d a pound; ice, Sanford, Limited, £1 12s 6d a ton; poultry, Turners and Growers. Limited, Did a pound; kitchen coal, W. Lovett, £2 9s a ton to institutions and 5s a sack to relief recipients. Several other tenders were referred to the purchasing committee and departmental officers with power to act.