N.Z. PUBLIC WORKS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10993, 31 August 1921, Page 5

N.Z. PUBLIC WORKS

CONDITIONS OF TENDER PREFERENCE GIVEN TO DOMINION FIRMS, A CASE IN POINT. On the recommendation of the Public Woiiks Tenders Board, Cabinet- has accepted the tender of Corry, Wright and Salmon, of Wellington, for plate girder spans for bridges in connection ivith the Wairoa-Waikokopu railway. The value of the contract is £3960, and the conditions are that the are to be delivered c.i.f. and e., ship’s slings, Napier roadstead. IRONMASTERS’ PROTEST. At a meeting of representatives of the Ironmasters’ Association, Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Boilermakers, Bridge-builders’ Union, and Iron and Brass Moulders’ Union, held at Auckland, last month, the following resolution was carried, and a copy sent to the Minister for Public Works: “This meeting respectfully protests against the Public Works Department deleting clauses from contracts for plate-steel girders, specifying that the work shall be done in New Zealand; respectfully draws the attention of the “Minister to the increasing amount of unemployment in the iron trade in the Dominion; and requests the Minister to reinstate the deleted clauses in the specifications for any work which can be done in the Dominion.”

It wars thought by some members of the organisations mentioned, who had heard of the acceptance of the contract, that preference to New Zealand manufacturing firms was not favoured, and in order to allay that impression a. “Times” reporter interviewed a Government official on the subject.

“PREFERENCE IMPERATIVE.”

That gentleman stated that the Government, through the Minister in charge of the Public Works Depart•ment, made it imperative that preference was to be given to New Zealand manufacturing concerns when tenders for supplies for public works were being considered. This was done, provided there was not too great a disparity between the tenders of New* Zealand firms and those of Great Britain. In the case mentioned there was a considerable difference in the contract prices submitted.