TENDER PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 83, 5 October 1931, Page 8

TENDER PRICES

PUBLICITY WANTED

GOVERNMENT STORES

Further endeavours are to, be made by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand to have the Government Stores Control Board consent to disclose the prices submitted by successful tenderers. ! At a meeting of the Wellington executive of the association to-day, a letter was read from the chairman of the Stores Control Board, in which it was stated that at a recent meeting of the board the question of disclosing prices submitted by successful tenderers was again reviewed, and the present policy of reserving the fight to disclose or treat as confidential the prices paid for stores supplied to Government Departments was reaffirmed. For the information of the association, inquiries had been made as 'to the policy adopted by British Government Departments in connection with disclosing prices quoted by tenderers, and from advice now to hand it was noted that prices paid for stores were treated as confidential by all Departments, and the information was disclosed only in those cases where publication was required by statute. ■ It was stated by members that because British Government Departments did not disclose the. prices was no reason why the practice should be followed in New Zealand. The British Government did not invite tenders indiscriminately; for specific requirements, only certain firms were eligible ,to tender. Bepresentativea of overseas firms, were entitled to obtain information in regard to tenders to forward to their principals. In the case of England, the actual supplier was right at the door and efould get the information required through its own trade organisations. -That was impossible in New Zealand, and that point had no doubt been overlooked by ,the Stores Control Board. If prices were disclosed it would be to the benefit of the Government, and would create competition,, as endeavours would be made in, future, by unsuccessful tenderers, to reduce prices. Also the publication of successful tenders would create confidence in the board.' It was not suggested that the Civil Service of New Zealand was not possessed of the highest honour, but there could be no Teal objection to the publication of tenders.