Correspondence.

Otago Witness, Issue 1456, 11 October 1879, Page 17

Correspondence.

COUNTY CONTRACTS AND THE LOWEST TENDEHS. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Though giving a general approval to the acceptance, in all matters submitted for contract, of the lowest tender— all other things at the same time being equal — there are times when a divergence from the strict rule would, in my opinion, be not only excusable, bub, at the same time, advisable -I ana right. Such a case has just occurred here in the matter of the maintenance of county roads, in whioh I cannot but feel that local officialism and County Council influence have been brought to bear to do an injustice to a private individual.

The facts are these : -Contracts were died for the maintenance of the road be* tweea "the Kyeburn Biver crossing near Mallock and Aimes'." Seven tenders were a ent in to the Council, the lowest being that of Colin Thorn, LlB5 3s 4d, and the next lowest that of O, K. Douglas, L 213 8s 4d. The other tenders were all considerably in excess of the two' named. The tender of Colin Thorn, as being the lowest, was accepted. Now, Sir, there are circumstances in connection with this case which, I think, would have justified the Council in acting differ' ently to what they did. In the first place, Mr Them is the manager of the Maniatoto Land Company, which comprises within its list of shareholders tho names of the principal Government officials, as also those of some of the members of the County Counoil itself. Tho portion of road to be maintained passes through the estate of the company, and it must be patent to all that by this contract having been given to the manager o£ the company it has in a great measure been given to the company themselves ; as, beingr on the spot at all times, Mr Thorn can with little if any labour additional to his own, keep the road in a good state of repair, and so save, or nearly ao, the company the whole* amount of his salary as manager. The next tenderer in point of value— Mr Douglas— is very differently placed, being a man well up in age, having been a cripple for years, with a large family of children to support, and often suffering from straight- ■ en ad circumstances. Mr Douglas has, however a son, a youth who would have ' been quite competent to have kepb the road In good and efficient repair. To have secured this contract would therefore have been an inestimable boon to Mr Douglas, and this he would most undoubtedly have succeeded in doing— he being the second lowest tenderer — had it not been for the joint influence of Government officialism and County Council meddling which was brought to bear against him, I think unjustly, unfairly, and injuriously to the interests of the ratepayers generally, and the system of accepting lowest tenders In particular. It must, lam of opinion, be evident that when intending tenderers find thai; they may have secret and powerful influence to contend with they will cease to take the trouble to enter the field at all.

There is one other matter which I desire to bring uador your notice— namely, that the whole of the gravel deposit more immediately available for this road maintenance is on the estate of the Company, thus placing another and further advantage in their hands. Experience should, one would have thought, have taught the Waste Lands Board not to allow the alienation of any gravel pits, the position of which point them out as being of value for road- making. In conclusion, I will only assure you that I am in no way interested in this case, and that what I have said is said solely in the interests of justice and fair play.— l am, &c, Ratepayer.

"Do you mean to call me a liar ? " asks a ferocious old gentleman. "Well, no j not exactly, 1 ' tempories his young friend, "but if I saw you in the company or Annanias and Sapphira I should say you were in the bosom of your family. " Mrs Ames has a story entitled "The Longest Hour of My Life." This was doubt* less the hour she knew that her beau was calling on another girl across the street.

The more a man knows about any subject the greater will be his charity and sympathy with views differing from hia own. —Sunday Afternoon,