CRITICISED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 219, 16 September 1938, Page 10

CRITICISED.

STATE TENDERS. HEDGES FOR HOUSES. IRREGULAR PROCEDURE. REVISION OF CONDITIONS. Criticism of the procedure adopted by the Government 'lousing Department in the calling of tenders for the planting of hedges, trees and shrubs on housing estates in Auckland city and suburbs and in country (owns, and regret that the Department liad not sought the cooperation of the Nurserymen's Association in drawing up schedules of conditions, were expressed by loading Auckland nurserymen to-dav.

It was stated that the conditions laid down by the Government had made it virtually impossible for firms to tender, and that the conditions were. modified by the Department when it realised the. position, but, as fresh tenders were not called, only a few firms were given the opportunity of supplying the demand. The action of the Department in inviting a few firms, which had put in prices, to revise their figures on an entirely new basis, was stated to have put these firms in a privileged position. Not only had the leading Auckland firms been excluded because of this procedure, but the planting scheme proposed for the current season had to be heavily curtailed in consequence. No Chance to Re-Tender. "All the trade should have been given a chance to re-tender when major alterations were made in the conditions."' said a city nursery man. "If this course had Im-ou adoptc<l the Government would have received a much letter response and the planting operations 'could have been launched on an extensive scale." j He explained that some Auckland nur- j servriien had Iwen prepared to make a j special effort to supply the large require- ; iiients of the Government, and that i plants could have been obtained from ' nurseries in all part* of the North Island, and, if necessary, from the | South Tsland, but immediately the I schedules "were issued it was discovered that the conditions proposed were so drastic that it was impossible to quote I prices would be acceptable to the i Government.

Two or three of the smaller firinfi, however, sent in price*. A* these were rmu'h above the level which the Government was prepared to pay. the more onerous of the conditions were struck I out ami the particular firms were asked to submit fresh prices. This they did, and contracts were concluded. Such a method was stated to l>e irregular in the letting of contract**, and was responsible for the exclusion of many who could have quoted on a competitive basis. Objectionable Conditions. Among the objectiouuble clauses in the specifications were the following: — "Contractors shall be responsible for any deaths of trees or shrubs up to the expiration of the maintenance period, if such deaths are. in the opinion of the landscape gardener, due to poor specimens, incorrect planting; or pruning. "The contractors shall inspect the site ami provide all labour, tools, equipment and materials necessary for the work. "The contractor shall thoroughly cultivate the planting area and clean" it of noxious weeds; the width of cultivation is to be 2ft Oin from the boundary fence and the width of cultivation lft Gin. "The contractor shall maintain all hedges for a period of nine calendar months from the date of planting." "Divisional hedges between section* are to be alternated to give as much variety as possible, such alteration to be at the discretion of the contractor subject to the approval of the landscape gardener." l Bonds to be Lodged. It was stated that the discretion left to the "landscape gardener -, created uncertainly in tendering. Another condition was" that each tenderer was required to lodge a cheque as security for the performance of his contract the amount to be 5 per cent of liL CO, ' trae i T>nce up to a contract a nou t *at BUm ° f £2 ° above th * fc

w iih e8 l r i ctlo n on the time ° f p ia ««^. oV 4 ,ef, n< 7 % m<?t With the Wval ot Auckland nursorvmen, was that in i?\ d Jl COmP],iied in the "-tpCtnnmleVro? *J* £* ° f dving," ", d P lante ■il liill Shortage of Labour. . of all the estates where nlant Bav % \ es 1 t . n^ le - Devonport. Mission ?£ He,,er «« Dargaville and Whangarei. The total length of \ ?eS 71 0,,t in the sohedulee is 799 chains of back hedgee, and 1448 i cha m of dividing hedge*, or 28 miles. The total number of is 1154 and shrubs