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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLI, Issue 317, 20 December 1906, Page 2

A MATT*?" arisjng from a sjiggestior at the Jas(, QOy (jouneil meeting that : drainage BXC&vaUopj ghbujd be carried out in small contracts *vii{ fas ugnsjdered by the Drainage Oommiliee this evening It is hoped that the flouncil will pause before any precipitate action in this direction is taken in order to ascertain the effects of email contracts, and their cost in relation to the whole work. While there should bo every encouragement of smaller capitalists, or of groups of workmen undertaking confronts, it should be remembered that *go iiWs »nbdi v ' s ' on ' s absolutely undesiratine*, (ifla^n.ucty as the cost would be nV^essardy ' peiL-y, jnrj there would h» mm> djfficujty in .dovetailing one job Y/iih »90t»er- .O. ne point alone I is sufficient to drnpflslfa^e tiie obstacles in the way of subdivlsion^itje absence of sufficient and adequate plant in the hands of small contractors. For instance, a sewer excavator, costing £1100 or £1200, would not be worth a sn;?jif flW£ r 3 e fc° rs wn ile to purchase, yet it woffld 40 t|# j^rflfk at 30 per cent, lea* eoit than iaft^jjj 1 - v witft pfik and shovel, and of COUfge >n grpaUy less time. Only fait-ei^fj cpnUacts would warrant a contractor in mukiflg & large outlay in plant, and hence the" subdivision into vory small contracts would fprtainly entail either loss to individuals or et&aticfid cost to the ratepayers. As tke drainage fccf^me entails a heavy rate, it is due to |.Ite t&^>riayers that business reasons rather than ' fte^t^i^ent should govern the Council in giving out the work. Obviously, therefore, from a business point of view, the small contract system has little to recommend it, however much it may suit the politics of a Government seeking the popular, and often irresponsible, vote