“The Press” In 1864

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 10

“The Press” In 1864

August 29 SIR. —We beg to give you a few lines on what may happen to a man in New Zealand. In the Nelson papers of July 15, we saw an advertisement calling for tenders for telegraph poles, to be let in sections or in one lot, to certify which we produce the advertisement Sir, at considerable expense, we went over the ground from Nelson to Havelock through Picton to Blenheim, a distance of about 93 miles (which would require about 1500 poles) in order that we might thoroughly understand the nature of the ground, and tender on a firm and sound footing. Sir, on

applying at the Engineer’s office here, we were informed he would postpone the letting of the contract from the 15th, as orginally advertised to the 25th of August, to give Mr Mackenzie a chance. Sir, we dropped down to it, as we thought we were completely sold, which proves quite true. We waited, and tendered at two minutes to four, on Thursday, the 25th, and to make it as there should not be any hole or corner for excuse, our tender was 17s 6d each [ per pole], time three months, with two substantial bondsmen; and, for fear of being sold, we offered a deposit of £lOO cash down, as security for the due performance of the contract In the face of all

this, J. Mackenzie got it, after all our six weeks’ loss of time and expenses. For the portion that we tendered for he gets £1 7s each [per pole], netting the sum .of £775; it will also take 300 or 400 additional [poles] on account of the rugged nature of the country, but say 300, at 9s 6d each, this will give another item of £135, which in all will make a difference of £9lO above our tender, a copy of which we will leave ih your hands. We consider we have been victimised out of the sum of nearly £7OO by the nonacceptance of the lowest tender. We are, Sir, Yours most obediently, Clarke and Walker, Contractors. Victoria Restaurant, Christchurch.