ADDITIONS TO THE HOSPITAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3687, 27 July 1886, Page 3

ADDITIONS TO THE HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MMAKTT HBBALD. Bm,— l notice m your advertising columns that Mr Marchant architect, is advertising for amended tenders for proposed additions to the hospital. Now as a ratepayer I woulti like to ask the board why they did not apply to Mr Robert* for the plans he prepared some time ago and for which he was paid by the late commissioners. The board would then have eared the expenses of an architect's fees, and have h»d a plan m keeping with the present buildings, while the deoign of Mr Merchant will look as much out of keeping as the present oldrst part is with the new part. Mr Marchant may be a very able engineer, but be has much to learn yet as an architect. His plans may be intelligible to him but for contractors they are too vague and unsatisfactory. The present building has to be removed and alterations effected, yet he does not supply a. single section showing how and where these lire to be effected ; hence contractors hare to grope m the dark the best they can through confused and topsy turry specification* and half finished plane, and this is one of the reasons why the tenders were so high and for this the ratepayers have to pay. Through contractors not being able to see what they bare to do, they are bound to protect themselves, the more so when they read that to protect himself against any mistake the architect stipulates that should he during the progress of the work, find it necessary to make any additions or alterations the contractors shall execute same under his instructions without any extra charge. Of course the ratepayer has to pay for such arbitrary conditions. Again let any one look at the plant. An apprentice boy would see at once that several parts, (the roof for instance) will not stand as designed. Why again, may I ask, should the architect reserve to himself the right to buy timber and materials wherever he thinks proper ? How is a contractor to form an estimate on such conditions unless he allows the highest possible price for everything P For all such conditions again I say the ratepayer has to pay. Again, why should all timbers be steam dried 9 1 his cannot be done m Timaru, and therefore all will have to come from Dunedin. This is extravagance for whioh ratepayers must pay. It was not done m the previous hospital contracts, and Mr Marohant will be very smart if be produces better work. Again, what necessity for costly tile work, and why not give contractor* a definite basis on which to form their estimates P To specify that euch and suoh costs so muoh m England is verr poor material to go on. It |

places them at the mercy of the architect, and contractors therefore must make allowances for all this. To say nothing of the extravagance of 12 z 3 ground floor joists, Mr Marchant must have been thinking he was decking a bridge. Fancy the extravagance of dispensing with the natural support of sleepers. But it is enough to show that these extravagancies for which the ratepayers will have to pay, could have been avoided had the board sent for Mr Boberts' plan already paid for. I am &c, Batbpaybb.