CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 170, 18 July 1879, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor op the " Evening Mail." Sir, — We desire to bring before public notice the manrer in which the tenders recently invited for "Removal of Buoy Rock " contract, Nelson Harbour, were dealt with, by the Minister having charge of the Marine Department or other official in charge of that contract ; and by affording space in your journal for that " purpose, you will greatly oblige. The specification stipulated that at the time of lodging the tender, a marked cheque for twenty pounds should be deposited therewith, and also that the names of two responsible persons should be submitted for sureties : and that the tender of any person not complying with those requisites would be informal and treated as void. Several parties sent in tenders. One party tendering, however, omitted to make the required deposit of twenty pounds, and in other respects we are informed their tender was faulty ; and therefore in accordance with the terms of the specification, it should not have been entertained as against the tenders which were strictly in form. Nevertheless, this informal tender, being the lowest in price, has been accepted ; and the names of the successful party were known in towu on Tuesday last although the deposit, we understand, was not paid until the day following. We may mention that the difference in amount between the accepted | tender and the next lowest 13 anything but great in proportion to the nature of the contract ; although apparently it was a sufficient consideration to induce the official in charge of the matter to deviate from the terms of his own specification. We think those who tender for a Public Works contract have a right to expect- that they will be fairly treated, and that all conditiona imposed by the specifications will be adhered to on the part of the Government officials, and held strictly binding on all competitors. It follows as a natural sequence that a faulty tenderer, if he be given the opportunity, will, when the result of the tendering is known, by some means or another, manage to rectify his tender in order to secure the contract ; but if this style of tendering is to be favored, we would ask why should one tenderer be put to the expense and inconvenience of complying with important conditions, while another may disregard th ose conditions with impunity. Yours &c, Bray and Mitchell. Nelson, 16th July, 1879.