CALLING TENDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 86, 12 April 1927, Page 10

CALLING TENDERS

IN LAEGE CITY WORKS

On. all jobs of any sizo I have always advocated that tenders should ba called," said Councillor Aston, speaking at Wadestown last night. "We do th ls when it applies to machinery, plant, equipment, and stores, and the same principle as applied to tae carrying out of city works ig quite sound. It.does not necessarily follow, because wo call for tenders, that an outride firm of contractors will do the jot) that can only be decided when tenders are received—but it places the council m the -position of obtaining the very best value for the money we have to spend. We are constantly reminded of the work of our own department in laying down the Hutt road, and the saving thus made as against the only other tender considered. We must not overlook the fact that when this job was undertaken there were few firms on this side of the world in a poiition.to tender for hot mix bitumious paving, but that would not be the case were tenders called to-day. "The calling of tenders also provides a safeguard in that our own departments must have complete plans, specifications, and estimates, for the basis of their tenders, and (eliminate anything of a haphazard nature taking place. The Hutt road was a good job carried out to the satisfaction of all concerned. The pity is that we cannot say the saino of all other jobs undertaken, the Northland tunnel for one. Here wo had practically the same council, the samo department, engineers, and staff, but no tenders were called. Had this course been followed, there would have been a different story today. Some of our work done by contract—portion of the Oriental Bay sea" wall (concrete work), Carlton Gore road, and other jobs—have been quite satisfactory. Further wisdom of the contract system is to be seen in. the Thomdon sea wall, and in the piles of magnificent buildings erected and being erected in the city to-day."