CALLING OF TENDERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 20, 23 July 1937, Page 10

CALLING OF TENDERS

THE SMALLER BUILDERS

Reference to recent tenders received in Auckland for Slate houses was made in a. statement today by Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in charge of Housing Construction. "Tenders closed a few days ago for the erection in two contracts of 127 houses on the Casey Estate, Auckland," said Mr. Lee. 'The tenders received are not at all satisfactory. On the other hand, the calling of tenders at the same time for the erection of 15 houses at Otahuhu produced a splendid response, no fewer than 28 tenders being received. The competition was keen and the tendering very close. The prices of the lowest tenders are most fair and reasonable, and I wish to congratulate the builders concerned on their practical co-operation. "As a result of my Department's experience at Otahuhu, the housing scheme at the Casey Estate will be subdivided into smaller contracts to give an opportunity to those builders who tendered excellent prices for the Otahuhu scheme, and yet,' owing to the keen competition, were unable to obtain a contract. This will also give the unsuccessful tenderers a chance to amend their previous tender. "Up to the present the prices submitted by the smaller builders as compared with the tenders of the larger firms have, in the great number of cases throughout the country, been distinctly disappointing, but this time the position in Auckland has been reversed. The small builders are showing a commendable willingness to cooperate. "This new development is most welcome to the Department of Housing Construction and myself, and bears out our original contention that there is room in the scheme for the large and the small building organisations, and for the carpenters' co-operative enterprises. Incidentally, I would mention that at the moment there are twentyfive different contractors engaged in the construction of State houses."