CONTRACT CONDITIONS

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13637, 3 July 1908, Page 6

CONTRACT CONDITIONS

A TENDERING. PROVISION, fer Press Association. WANGANUI, July 2. Among the coirtraofc. conditions adopted ' minion -is.. fa clause providing that "if the employer -floes nob.accept a tender within 30 days, lie will pay the lowest tenderer a sum of i per cent, on his.tender, such amount not to be more than 15 guinea*-, nor. less; than one guinea." -The Wangan'ui Education Board decided recently to strike this clause out of all building conin future, and last" evening a deputation from- £he . Wangpimi •BuilO.lrs' Union waited on the Board and asked that- the clause be reinserted. Tfhey pointed, out that they were now debarred from tendering for the, Board's work, being bound by. an agreement to tender only under the accepted agreement and contended that where no tender was ac-' cepted the compensation provided was just and reasonable in view of the time and trouble, spent in making up tenders. Mr Chapman, chairman of' the Board; and Mr F. Pirani, in the course of their reply; said that the Board had often to wait six. months before the Education Department gave its consent,to a tender, and could not ask for consent till tenders were in ; They also toinplained ot large discrepancies in the amount of the tenders, auu'anjhrtecis estimate: if the' Board was to be "mulcted in; such a charge, it was time it took steps to put up its own buildings. The Board was. in a totally different position from other employers, and its contracts were bona fide. The Chairman, concluded by saying, " We will get a combine of Education Boards throughout the colony, and see if the builders -.ire prepared to throw away £250,000 worth. of work per year. If the builders are going to dictate to the people who employ them, it. is ■■ time the Board thought of dictating to the builders." The Boiird resolved to pay the amounts in connection with past ••ntracts, which contained the clause, and to write to the Builders' Union,-explaining the position the Board takes up regarding its building contracts.