RETORT COURTEOUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1922, Page 9

RETORT COURTEOUS.

TO HABJ3OTTB BOA3S SNUB* CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REFLYi The remark by a member of the Harwur Board recently that a comiminjeaion from tlie Chamber of Commerce emlodying a protest from the Hardware Mer:bants' Association that the names and >rices of tenders for contracts were not lisclosed to interested inquirers after the ruccessfnl tenderer had been decided ipon was "impudent and impertinent," «is the -subject of discussion by the chamber of Commerce Council yesterday ifternoon. The Hardwarde Merchants' Association wrote challenging the "dis»very of any such tone in the terms of ;ts .letter, which did not in any way impugn the probity of Harbour Board niem-bers. and expressing a wirft :hat the Chamber of Commerce press for i consideration of the matter and the "enrova! of any cause for complaint there night be in the matter of dealing with renders. Tlie association reiterated that it considered there were reasonable grounds for tlie protest rt had made. The chairman (Hon. G. Fowlds) renarked that the council's relations with ;he Harbour Board had always been eminently satisfactory, and the council had inly done in this case what had been ione previously in trying to effect an idjustment between two sections of commercial interests without sitting in judgment on the board's actions. He bad Felt that in deciding' to forward the association's letter to the board it eras somewhat like calling into question the accuracy of a reply made to the association by the board's secretary, but is Mr. Leyland, a board member, menbioned that he saw no harm in it, he had let it go. He felt that the board had misunderstood the council's position in the matter. Mr. Leyland stated that the complaint by the association was in reference to the names of the tenderers not being disclosed with reference to a contract for the supply of steel bars, and a reference was made to alterations being made in the conditions and prices after the tenders were closed. He knew of one sneh instance of alteration, when a letter was received from the lowest tenderer before the tenders were opened stating that bfi had made a mistake owing to wrong information about the duty and wishing to add fSOO to his price. As his figure was £1400 below any other, the change was allowed after tie tenders had been, opened, and it was considered by the board a reasonable thing to Ho. But that was not the steel bar contract. The names and prices of all contracts were alwuvs made public at the board meetings where tenders were dealt with, and the Press was at liberty to publish them if it so desired. , Mr. B. Burns contended that it was 3 !

dangerous breach of the principle underlying the contract system to permit building up of price by the lowest tenderer. It -would be equally reasonable for one whose tender was hieh to be allowed to amend his price on the ground that he had made a mistake. Mr. Limn felt that the council's position had been misunderstood by the board, in that the council had merely acted, as had been frequently done previously, in the direction of suggesting that a matter which was causing friction in a section of the commercial community was adjustable. Mr. Burns contended that the letter sent, enclosing the letters fro mthe Hardware Association, had in view tile putting of the Harbour Board tender system on a basis which was fair to everybody. The council wrote in moderate language, and as a body of recognised standing in commercial nrottere. There was no disparagement of the board, which had no right to receive the letter as it did. The text of the letters from the Hardware Association, to the council, and of that from the council to the board, which accompanied the other letters, was read by the secretary, and it was agreed that there wa= nothing objectionable in them, beyond the fact that the association complained of the board declining to disclose the. namc6 and prices of all tenderers after tenders had been accepted. MY. A. Martin remarked that the board had apparently saddled the wrong ! horse, and thrvt its objection was really to the association's letters. ! Mr. Lunn moved that "this chamber regrets the manner in which the Harbour Board received our communication, and points out that our object in sending the tetter of the Hardware Association was i following our usual custom oF giving • them the opportunity of adjusting any ■ matter of commercial interest without undue trouble." Incidentally, the chairman remarked that the alteration of conditions or prices was a matter to be ruled by c-ir-j eunretanee, and in the case explained by ■ Mr. Leyland it wris. in his opinion, quite fair and justifiable. Messrs. Burns. Lunn and Alhrm took issue with the chairman on that poini, holding that in cases where a tenderer liad discovered a mistake it was right for the person or body holding the tender* either to permit the withdrawal of such tender or to call for fresh tenders. i The motion wns seconded by Mr. i : Spencer and was carried.