THE NINTH CONTINGENT TENDERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 28

THE NINTH CONTINGENT TENDERS.

DISSATISFACTION IN DUNEDIN. There has been no small amount of talk in Dunedin, and, indeed, all through the colony, concerning the refusal of the Government to publicly notify the amount of the accepted tenders in connection with the supply of the various requirements for the Ninth Contingent. Their action, has led to touch speculation as to why certala tenders were accepted, especially in view of the insertion, freely made in well-informed that successful tenderers for certain lines, being unable to supply them themselves, approached manufacturer.* to make the articles, and the price furnished and accepted by fche buyer wa3 actually in excess of the tender the manufacturer had himself sent in for that particular I:o.e This is the statement that has been made by more than one person to our reporter. When taken a step further, however, and the manufacturer was himself questioned on the point, ho was Unable to speak positively aibout it. He had been informed that such was the ease, but anything he might state, based en. assertions made to him, he was unable to substantiate. It was all hearsay evidence he liad to pood.o od. He knew the amount of the lender his iirm had put in, but in the absence of tfis amount of the accepted tender he cou!d only form his own opinion about the matter. F.cding himself to be in a position to cay little with any definitene&i about it, our reporter next visited the establishment of one of the successful tenderers. Yes. he was quite willing to give the amount of hi 3 tender, but in view of the fact that supplies -would be required for the tenth Contingent shortly, he would rather not. He" might be under-cut. Bluntly as-ked if ttte positicti' sjbove stated was correct — that liirf firm Had obtained goods from a manufacturer'at a price higher than the tender of that manufacturer- -he said it could not be the case. In fact, he believed it was not true. In every caf>> 'in which he had bern able to find out the amount, that of tho iuccessfu! tenderer had been the lowest He had found out in several instances ki which he had been beaten in Duuedin that 'he had been beaten honestly.