REGARDLESS OF COST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22733, 20 May 1937, Page 10

REGARDLESS OF COST

Although Uie price quoted is three I times as high, the Auckland EducaI tion Board has been instructed by the Education Department to accept the 'Railways Department's tender for a transport job in preference to that of a private firm. Details of this extraordinary case are published this morning. A teacher's furniture had to be removed from Howick to Waihi, and tenders were called. The Railways Department's price was £22, against quotes by private carrying firms of £lO 10s, £lO 5s and £7. What would be thought of a private business that persisted in doing its own carrying when it could get the work done outside for onehalf or even one-third the price 1 Yet that is the attitude takeu by the Government in this case. No wonder the chairman of the Education Board, Mr. T. U. Wells, was moved to protest, "As a taxpayer to this country's finances, I do object to paying the railways three times as much." The bad precedent set was brought out by the remarks of other members, who said they thought the board was supposed to administer public funds prudently and not extravagantly. Others besides the board will be set thinking. They will recollect that a month ago the Government decided to buy out all long-distance road goods services competing with the railways. Hence it will soon be impossible to draw odious comparisons between the cost of State and private transport. The railways will possess a monopoly and there will be only one price. The department can charge what it thinks fit for any service it makes available. Remembering the price quoted in competition in the present case, those who have to pay for transport may well be apprehensive as to charges when the department has the freight market to itself.