NEW POST OFFICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 233, 3 October 1933, Page 3

NEW POST OFFICE.

TENDER AND SUBSIDY.

"EXPENSIVE RESTRICTION."

CONTRACTOR'S VIEW,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this clay

A singular position arose over the Dunedin Post Office contract, in relation to the Unemployment Board's scheme for the building subsidy. Tenders were called when the board was offering a subsidy of 3-5 1-3 per cent on wages paid on buildings exceeding The Government therefor© called alternative tenders, one to specify price without the wages subsidy, and the other including the subsidy. The successful tenderers were Messrs. Fletcher Brothers, whose lowest-priced tender was accepted. This excluded the Unemployment Board subsidy, their price, if the subsidy was accepted with its accompanying re-

strictions, was actually higher. Messrs. Fletcher Bros, were advised, on acceptance of their lowest price, that, within 14 days, they would be notilied by the Government whether anything was being done in regard to the building subsidy. In due course they found that nothing was being done. In explaining to the "Star" correspondent the reasons for tendering on a higher price if the wages subsidy wad to be received, Mr. Andrew Fletcher, one of the linn's principals, stated that their desire was to push through the work with every possible dispatch, therefore they considered it would be an expensive restriction ir they were to he forced to work 44 hours weekly, and the matter would be greatly complicated by sub-contracting. Certain classes of concreting work had to be made a continuous job until completed, and serious losses might bo incurred if, through restriction on hours, a break had to be made before the job was finished.