BRITISH TENDER ACCEPTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3782, 7 September 1926, Page 82

BRITISH TENDER ACCEPTED.

POWER BOARD'S REQUIREMENTS. AUCKLAND. August 30. Another British tender for eloctric cable was accepted by the Auckland Electric Power Board to-day. The only German tender was £4OOO above the lowest British tender, whereas the low quotations of German firms were features of other contracts. The tenders were for 0.75 triple braided cable, and 14 firms competed. The lowest tender, that of Marshall and Baxter for cable manufactured by the Concordia Electric Wire Company of Great Britain (£8385) was accepted. This firm secured the two previous contracts. A number of British firms tendered for £9500, or thereabouts. but the German firm of Felton and Guilleaume. which submitted the lowest tender on the two previous occasions, quoted £12,100. with an alternative price of £II,BOB. The chairman (Mr W. J. Holdsworth) expressed surprise at the marked difference in the German tendering, whereas on the last oocasion the firm tendered £4OOO below the lowest British firm, it now quoted a figure which was £4OOO above. It supported the attitude taken up by some members that a discrepancy existed somewhere, and justified those who had opposed the German tender, without making an appeal to preference or sentiment. The general manager (Mr R. 11. Bartley) said that copper had lately fallen in price, and now stood at £SB 18s 9d a ton for electrolytic bars. This meant a reduction of £8 Is 3d a ton on the price quoted by the tenderers. It was decided to call for tenders for the supply of meters. Mr Bartley stated that for many years practically the whole of the board's meter requirements had been supplied bv one British firm, and that policy had been wise. Since then, however, other very reliable meters had come on the market, and the firms concerned desired an opportunity to tender. It was stated that from £13,000 to £15.000 was spent annually on metres.