LAKE COLERIDGE TUNNEL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17984, 30 January 1924, Page 8

LAKE COLERIDGE TUNNEL.

TENDER OF £114,000 FOR DUPLICATION.

INTERESTING DETAILS.

(special TO "the press.") /

WELLINGTON, January 29.

New Zealand tunnellers distinguished themselves in the Great "War, not only by their bravery, but also by the quality and quantity of tlieir work. They did excellent work also at, the big Otira tunnol and recently a co-opera-tive party haft been making a reputation for gpcedy work in tlw O.rongoroiigp tunnel in connexion with the Wellington waterworks. Now another New Zealand co-opera-tive party lias secured the- important contract for the duplication of the Lake Coleridge tunnel. Details of tha Tenders. Three tenders were put in for this work. One, by an AnienC,"n firnt, was for £2O-4,455- It w;is a "sliding scale tender," the figure shown representing the tenderers' estimate ol the co.st. of thg work, and including a fixed fe°£ of £22,000. The proposed arrangement was that on eouipjetipu yt the work the Department would pay to the tenderer 15 per cent, o.f the amount b.etqw i'2U4,456, "and. that if the wtp'k pest iv\ore than £201,4-30, the tenderer would pay to the Department 1G per cent, of tho excess. Hia next highest tender was one, at £IIB,OOO, and came fro.fli a Nety. iJoar land co-operative company.

Conditions upon Successful Tenderers. Tho "lowest tender of £114,437 13s 6u was submitted |jy Messrs Jamps Bsban np4 party, all of whom arc located in No\V Zealand. Him tppcler is tho xnost favourable and bas been accepted, subject to the that party completed the necessary insurance policies apd i'unjisllca jx- copy of tjie, qgre<3Jiient current arnpng themselves, i» ot'dpr tliqt tile Department may be quito c|eai- xia to the ifi case of between' the individual?. Another condition is tjri(t the.'party is* to appoint two fully authorised representatives with p.p.wcr to sign the contract. cm behalf of all the members, anfl with these two men only tlie Department will deal, they being responsibly to the party for distribution of moneys duo under the contract. Two Years for Cpnipletioji.

Mr Beban is at present on tlie Wesj; Coast, enlisting members of his party, anrt when the quota is full, h<s will return to Wellington and the contract will be formally signed.

The time fixed for the completion of the work is 24 months, but the Department is offering a bonus of £SO a week for every week which the contract"is cqtppletevj, while on the other hand tlie contractor niust pay to the Department £IOQ a woejt for each week' 'over 24 Tnpnths far which ' the work is in hand.

Enquiries liav§ beon made to establish thp standing of Mr Bebap. ant} as these have in 'each case proved very sntisfactpyy, jt is" confidently anticipate ed that the contract will bo pushed tp cpippletiop as expeditiously' as is possible, and that first-class work will result.