LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13084, 25 January 1906, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RE TENDERS FOR QUEEN-STREET WHARF IN REINFORCED CONCRETE.

Sir, —In your leading article this morning you assume that because we have not- carried out works of this kind previously the works would be prejudiced and that, wewould probably not give the. Harbour Beard a structure equal to that of the Ferro-Con-crete Company, or equal to the best works obtainable of this class. You lay very | strong stress 011 our lack of experience and upon the quotations made by the engineer as to the necessity of careful manipulation of the work by men of experience. The engineer's statement as to the care required in construction of this kind we endorse fully; his authorities are undoubted, and they emphasise the fact that care and attention in the construction of reinforced concrete is required more than in any other class of work. We fail to recognise, however, that if the works were let to us they would in any way suffer in this respect. It would be madness on our part to attempt to engage in this class of work without procuring the very best expert knowledge obtainable, whether in the colony, America, Great Britain, or any other part- of the world. We have had ourselves very varied and extensive experience in all kinds of constructions; we have engaged an engineer of considerable ability; the formulae for reinforced concrete of every kind are laid down in innumerable text-books; and we are informed that our proposed method of construction differs very little, if any, from the Ferro-Concrete Company: consequently the wlkjl'J matter hinges on having experienced men to execute the work. Can yon doubt, sir, : that our firm would be in any way behind in procuring men of experience for this class of work, or for that mattor for any other class of work which requires expert knowledge? Should the Board lay it down as a dictum that no one but the Ferro-C'oncretc Company aro capable of carrying out this reinforced concrete work, the sooner we know it the better. There will then be no necessity for calling tenders, and the Board will be paying probably 25 to 30 per cent, more for their work than they need.' The tenders received disclosed what, we may' expect from tenderers outside the colony— lowest of which was £119,000—£29,f100 above the Ferro-Concrete Company's /tender, and the highest £281,000. The engineer's estimate was £77,000. We presume the engineer to be capable, and that .he has arrived at a fair estimate of the value of the work; yet he is proposing to give the Ferro-Concrete Company something like £12,000 more than his own estimate, because he is ok. opinion that wo are incapable of knowing the very rudiments required for the successful carrying out of works of any kind, viz., procuring men of expert and practical knowledge for any special work in hand.

John McLean and Sox.

[Our correspondents state their case very fairly and forcibly, but, as we have already pointed out, the matter is one which cannot, be decided by the mere layman. In an engineering work of this magnitude and special character the advice of the Harbour Board's engineer ought to be paramount. He is there to guide the Board in all such matters, and 'in our opinion it would be extremely unwise of the Board to ignore his advice.—Ed.]

THE GROCERS' PRODUCE COMMITTEE.

Sir,— am glad to notice several letters in your paper respecting the above committee's actions; producers are also anxious to know who composes this committee. Except when the egg market is glutted, viz., September and October, we never get a fair price, and those who know bow to go about it car. also got, Id to 2d above the fixed price from shopkeepers. Yesterday I was offered Is Oid a. dozen from a grocer for this week's supply (50 dozen), and refused, as I can get Is Id by selling them in two lots to other grocers, and yet thoy fix the price at lid. Sydney prices are much higher just now, although times are dull there,/ Another Poultry Farmer. Mount Albert, January 24.