WAIRARAPA MAIL CONTRACT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 424, 2 December 1933, Page 5

WAIRARAPA MAIL CONTRACT

Acceptance of Tender OPPOSITION LEADER INSPECTS FILES Nothing Irregular Press Association. —Oonynsht. Wellington, Dec. 1. Further reference to the Wairarapa mail contract was made when the P. and T. vote was before the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. A. D. McLeod (Co., Wairarapa) asked the PostmasterGeneral whether he had any statement to make as to the acceptance of a certain tender to which reference had been made last Friday. He said his personal character had been involved to some extent and he desired to have the matter cleared up. The Hon. Adam Hamilton said that since the matter had last been mentioned the Leader of the Opposition had inspected the files on the subject and he no doubt would tell the House what was his opinion. He cculd assure the House

that the department realised the value of the lowest tender element in contracts of the kind, but there were other factors to be taken into consideration. For instance, the department always inquired as to whether the lowest tenderer and his guarantors were satisfactory. The department also preferred to retain an existing contractor if he had been satisfactory to the department and the public, and when his tender was sufficiently near to the lowest tender this factor was taken into consideration. Another points considered by the department was the relative position of tenderers. For instance, preference might reasonably be given to a married ex-serviceman with dependants over a single man. Under such circumstances the department might make an offer to the second lowost tenderer, and the latter might accept it. That was what had been done in the case of the Wairaraoa contract. Mr. Hamilton added that he was sure the Leader of the Opposition was satisfied the right thing had been done.

Mr. Savage said he had had the opportunity of inspecting the files and he had seen nothing irregular He had observed certain human elements, and he would like to make it .clear what he meant by that. He had seen where a onearmed married man with a family had been given preference when his tender was only slightly higher than the lowest tender. "I would do that myself if I were in the Postmaster-General's position." he said. "I saw nothing irregular in any shape or form." Mr. McLeod: Thank you. Mr. P. Fraser thanked the PostmasterGeneral for having afforded the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity of inspecting the file. "I think the method adopted was a good one for the purpose of clearing up the position." he added. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) expressed approval of the methods of considering tenders as outlined by the Post-master-General and said he considered they were round from business and other points of view.