“MAKES A FARCE OF PUBLIC TENDERING”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 192, 3 November 1927, Page 14

“MAKES A FARCE OF PUBLIC TENDERING”

LOWEST NOT ACCEPTED DISFIGUREMENT OF HIUs "Your decision violates ths orw. I cipfes of public fairness, and mata farce of the whole business !! public tendering. ” J This was the manner in which I deputation representing Messrs. Moi ? and Docherty. Limited, protested 1 last evening’s meeting of the One Tvl! Hilk Road Board, against that bed? action in passing over their for the supply of scoria, in favour , a higher tender. Some time ago the board adopted j resolution that in future it would jn * preference to tenderers for the 1 of scoria whose pits were not sjtuSS I in any of Auckland's volcanic hills a view to discouraging their diafigm? j ment. Acting on the advice of its engine I therefore, the board at its last Tneetiv- j accepted the tender of Mr. Rouse f 7? j the supply of a quantity of scoria b« ! ; cause his pit is situated on one of thi | j pinnacles of Mangere Mountain | does not disfigure the mountain prop*. * ! Morgan and Docherty s pit is at tfe* § i Three Kings, and although their f | was substantially lower it was pass*- J over. Mr. Moi gan: Y'ou were not fair to u* I cannot understand any unbiassed m*. j looking at Mr. Rouse’s pit and th*t saying it is not an eye-sore. Mr. R. G. Clark, chairman: You mm- | understand, Mr. Morgan, that nothin* was further from the board's mind thm to give preference to anyone. All tenders were considered on their merit* and in view* of our resolution, Mr Rouse’s was accepted. Mr. Morgan: The Newmarket Bor. ough Council accepted our tender fo scoria, and then never took a yard froic the place. Ellerslie refused to accept our tender because we were not rate, payers, and now, although we are rate, payers and the lowest tenderers, yo* pass us over because our pit is in a volcanic hill. Y'ou should help us t* completely remove the eyesore. Mr. Clark: This board has to bi guided by the advice of its engineer, Then the deputation withdrew. The board decided that strictly Morgan and Docherty’s tender had out of order, as they (the contractor!) had imposed a fresh condition to tha contract that the scoria be not c&rtad in less than syd loads. Mr. Rouse’s tender had been accepted, and even if it wanted to. the meeting realised that it could not alter in decision. Later in the meeting a letter w*j read from the Te Akarana Maori At. sociation thanking the board for tbt stand it had made against the disfigurement of Auckland’s hills, asd hoping other local bodies would follow its lead.