GERMAN TENDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 183, 7 August 1935, Page 8

GERMAN TENDER

FOR STEEL WIRE ROPES ACCEPTANCE BY AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD BRITISH FIRMS LOSE CONTRACT I Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Aug. 6. By eight votes to four, the Auckland Harbour Board decided to accept a tender submitted on behalf of a German firm for the supply of steel wire, ropes. The contract price was £599 3s lid, that of £715 3s 6d, which was submitted by 13 British firm, being the next lowest.

Tenders for the supply of wire ropes were originally called by the board early this year. As a result of what was described as an attempt on the part of an English combine to impose the sales tax wrongly on the board, however, it was decided at a meeting of the board, held on -lay 21 to delete the British preference clause from the specifications of the contract. It was further agreed to submit as many of the contract quantities as possible to fresh tender, and to bring the subject before the notice of the British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand. As a result of the board’s decision, tenders were received from 16 firms for ropes made by members of the Federation of British Wire Rope Manufacturers, one from the representative of a Canadian firm, one from an Australian firm, and one oq behalf of German manufacturers.

In a repert submitted lo the purchasing committee, the engineer of the hoard, Mr. IJ. Jlolderness, stated that John Burns and Company’s tender for ropes made by Felton and Guillcaume, of Germany, was in complete accordance with the specification. He accordingly recommended the acceptance of the tender. The report stated that, the board’s action in rejecting al', tenders submitted on April 16, and the decision to call fresh tenders with the British preference clause deleted, had been entirely justified. All the members of the Federation of British Wire Rope Manufacturers had reduced their tendered prices by about 16 per cent., which amounted to £136 14s 8d on this contract. Even with this reduction the board would save £ll5 19s 7d by purchasing Continental topes, and the New Zealand would receive £67 4s •’»(! extra in duties. The eA.mmittee stated that John Burns and Company had intimated that in the event of the board accepting its tender, arrangements would be made for the purchase of New Zealand goods in exchange.