CIVIL SERVICE CONTRACTS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2532, 15 October 1884, Page 3

CIVIL SERVICE CONTRACTS.

[to the editor.] Sir—Please allow mo through your columns to expose a system, that the heads of the Public Service are getting into, and which if not nipped in the bad, might in a very short space of time lead to serious misunderstanding. I allude to the semi-secret way in which tenders are now called for all kinds of work to be done for the Government. One case in point will at least give an illustration of what I allude to, to wit, the construction of the telephone boxes required here and at Dillman's. Six or seven skilled hands have been applied to in this town for a price to construct the said articles. This without a single advertisement in any journal (so far as I have seen). Now, sir, anyone tendering for this work would have to spend some little time and trouble, to form an estimate of the cost, and would also give others some litttle trouble to furnish their prices for necessary items. So far so good. Who would expect the same thing being done in Hokitika ? To say the least it was scarcely fair to the men here. Although the writer must say that when our local Postims'er was challenged if he was aware of this sort of thing, he boldly answered, " No, or he would not have taken so much trouble over it." However, I do not wish to make any personal remarks, knowing for one thing that the Service does not allow them to re-ply. But the public, whom they do serve, dont always want them to " think." J. Barrett. Kumara, October 15, 1884.