ELECTRIC CRANES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 7

ELECTRIC CRANES.

BRITISH AND GERMAN TENDERS, A LECAL OPINION. DISCUSSION" BY BOARD. CBX TELEGEArn—rBESS ASSOCIATION.! ' Auckland, February 10. When tho Harbour Board recoived replies to its invitation for. tenders for supplying electric cranes the lowest tenderer , was. a Gorman' 1 * firm, whose price for 1 tho twelve largo cranes was £11,970.; The oommittpo' recommended: that, tho of . Messrs. Babcock and "Wilcox, a Britisli firm, should bo accopted. A ; long discussion took place at tho last meeting <of'tho board. . On the recommendation of. the . committee, it was. pointed out that, with duties; Messrs. Nagel and Kaempo's price would total £15,920, and "Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox's £16,421. It was contended .that,-£5Ol was, a largo difference, 'and , the' matter .should .be'dealt with on lines. It was stated, ; too,:, that in .addition"'to tho board saving £601, tho' State/ would. receive. £988 .through" the preferential' duty; A motion to <. refer, the, recommendation back to the committee I 'was defeated by' seven: vote's to' sis.'--'lt'was' then; decided, to obtain the opinion of. .the..;solioi-j •tors as to. whether or not tho board could be restrained under injunction from accept-': irig a tender of Babcook and Wilcox. At the meeting of tho board this afternoon, a letter' from the board's solicitors.■ was'.read."advis"-' ing that there was nothing in the Harbours' Act to compel tho board to accept; the' lowest: or any tender for machinery.; Messrs., Jolm Chambers and Son, Ltd., the ''lbcal'' 1 agents' for Messrs. Babcock' and : Wilcox,'Ltd.,. uf ! London, wrote'in reference to',tke;.jduty.';payi.; able on twelve, electrio : cranes, reported, at. 'the last'meeting of . tho boai;d, to' be'£296l 45., stating that they had,cabled to -their* principals, who 'guaranteed' that ,thei .duty, would be £600 loss . than' the estimate,Vputj before- the loard. .This ' would bring the amounts of duty payable .on ' tho British' machinery, to £2361, which, 'added to the amount of Babcock . and Wilcox's tender of £13,460, makes a .total,;of: £15,820.-- By: importing various: parts ' under' other -headings-, than cranes, a considerable reduction would' be effected. Messrs. Chambers also' enclosed an opinion from Messrs. A, .L. Andrews and Co.,' stating that quite probably, a saving of from £40 to £50- upon each, crano could bo effected. • . The- Chairman>. said ..the'only ~ reason''. this matter had been - referred 'back was because there, was ..some doubt as to the legality of giving the' tender tb Messrs; '.'Baboock'.'arid Wilcox. ' That doubt;had been removed: now', and, moreover, . .: from'.. ' the f. correspondence which had been read it; appeared: that" the English.:craneswould, bo "oven cheaper'than tho German, s He, therefore, would moVo that the tender, of Messrs. Babcock: and •Wilcox bo accoptefl. ' ; Mr. Basley seconded, the said firm should- get the tender. ;> - Mr. W. J. Napier rrovod, and Mr. Keys seconded,, an amendment t-hat'tho matter be referred to the: Works Committee.:: '■'■ • The amendment was lost-by seven votes to .five, and; tho .motion for ,tlio acceptance of • Babcock: and Wiloox's' tender was agreed to. :