The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 680, 14 May 1859, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, May 14. . In a new country, where considerable public works must be carried on without the appliances of a settled community, much difficulty is necessarily felt in discovering- the best machinery for securingl the public interests. Different modes of carrying' on the public works have been tried in this settlement—by employing gangs of labourers under the supervision of overseers—and by letting1 off the work in convenient portions to contractors. There is much to be said for both of these systems, but, on the whole, the latter has been found the most satisfactory for the larger works. But When the number of experienced contractors is very limited, it is found that tenders are sent in differing from each other in amount to such an absurd extent as to show that many men. were tendering* for work which they did not at all understand. It appears to have been thought advisable by the Provincial Government to give a fair trial to the system of accepting1 the lowest tender for any work offered to public competition, and,"" without binding themselves to do so,.they did for some time act upon this principle. But although in-some cases economy has resulted from this practice, in others great delay and ultimate expense to the.Government have' been the consequences. Instances have occurred in which men have injured themselves in attempting work at a price that would not pay. In the meanwhile valuable time is lost, and when the contract is abandoned it is. noconsolation to the public to know that the contractor has burnt his own fingers severely.' While there are few men in the province who are able to estimate at all accurately the probable, expense of a large, work, there are. many who could carry it out very well if fairly paid for itj and could form a very good' opinion as to the cost of the several items to be considered in undertaking- a contract, if all these items are pointed out to them clearly. This class of men are thrown out of the competition if no assistance be given to them in making their calculations of the probable cost. • .

We understand that, after the experience of the last year, during1 which time a very large amount of public money has been expended on works let out on contract, the Provincial Government have found that it is not expedient in all cases to accept, the lowest tender. . ,It is obvious from the figures from time.to time published m the'Gazette,'-that

many of the ten-iers sent in are of the'very, wildest nature —rather guesses than estimates. From what we have heard of failures, delay,i and subsequent "expense arising- therefrom, it' appears tbut some standard of price, is absolutely necessary to enable the Government to judge .as to whether the tenders before them are based upon a sufficient understanding of the work proposed. f . The custom adopted in England on works such as railways, and .others of a similar nature, appears to afford a good precedent. The Work offered for. contract is set put in detail, with detailed estimates of the supposed cost of the different portions;- and intending contractors after considering' these estimates are iible to say whether they can do the work at the' price estimated, or for how much less they can do it. This has been found in many cases to.be the best way. to secure real competition. Some such plan appeara*to be needed, especially in a place where so few of. those who are competent to do the work are competent to understand thoroughly what the specifications require. The publication of the Provincial Engineer's estimate with the offer of the work would secure for all the data they might require on which to base their own calculations. They might then, after weighing each item with the knowledge either technical ov local which they possess, be able to compete with some security for many classes of work which they would be afraid to venture, on entirely, in the dark..