How Benevolent Contracts are Worked. The Exposure In Dunedin. Dunedin, July 26.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 163, 31 July 1886, Page 5

How Benevolent Contracts are Worked. The Exposure In Dunedin. Dunedin, July 26.

The following is the "Times" article:— " Amongst other contract put up to tender at the Benevolent Institution annually is one for ' rations and medical comforts ' (exclusive of bread and meat) for which Messrs Mercer 8r03." have been the successful tenderers > for several years in succession. On the opposite page will be found a copy of their tender for the present year, which, as on previous occasions, was considerably more advantageous than any other received. So^much was this the case, and so low, were one or two' of the prices quoted, that some suspicion was aroused amongst ' the trustees as to whether the conditions for the outdoor relief supplies were being fairly ' carried ' out. The matter might have rested ■ but that several complaints were made, by persons receiving outdoor relief, that the goods they obtained from Messrs Mercer did not represent value for the tickets they presented. Some of the recipients stated that they-had weighed the goods they received, and gave the Secretary a list, which, if they took the weight properly, showed thatthe contractors were giving considerably less than the value according to the contract schedule. In order to test the truth of these complanta, an order, of which the following is a copy, was sent to the contractor's shop :: — • Supply with goods to the value of 7s 7d on account of Benevolent Institution Secretary.' With this order the messenger presented a Bcrap of paper specifying the way in which the order was to be made up in the words : — Oatmeal, Is ; flour, Is ; salt butter, Is ; rice, Is ; washing soda, 6d ; candles, lib ; sugar, Is ; and tea, £lb t Is. A shopman executed the order, and delivered the goods in return for it, which were taken into the Secretary's office. They were there weighed and found wanting at proportionate contract rates to the extent of 41bs of oatmeal (lOlbs due, 61b3 given) 61bs of flour (121bs due, 61bs given), |lb of butter (l^lba due, lib given),' 2slbs of rice (sJlbs due, 31bs given), and 31bs of washing soda (61bs due, 3lbs given.) ., The sugar, tea, and candles were of contract weight, and the total result was that only 5s 7d worth of goods at contract rates had been supplied. To make the position clearer, we will put it in another way :— The overcharge at proportionate contract rates on the quantity of oatmeal supplied was 66 per cent, ; on the flour, 96 per cent. • on the butter, 50 per cent. ; on the rice, 69 per cent. ; and on the v ashing soda, 107 per cent. Or, again, to take the butter, the child's order specified a shilling's worth, and the contract price was Sd per lb. ; a pound was given instead of a a pound and a-half, i.e., a half pound short, i.e., eightpenny worth for a shilling. In the extreme case,that of washing-soda, of which the contract price was nine shillings per cwt., sixpenny worth was ordered, and barely threepenny worth given, i.c , 31bs. instead of a little over 6lbs. At the next meeting of the trustees the scales, weights, and packets of goods were produced, and the Secretary laid the matter before the trustees. They at once decided to telephone for the contractor, and to ask him for an explanation. Mr Mercer went up the Benevolent Society 'a office, and on beingto ehown the goods, scales, and weights, made no attempt to dispute the fast, but said that so far as the oatmeal, flour, rice and washing soda v ere concerned, he had tendered to supply these articles at so much per lOOlbs, and did not feel called upon to supply lsss quantities at the contract prices. So far as the oatmeal was specially concerned, he had instructed his shopman to give Slbs for a shilling instead of lOlbp, according to contract rate of 100 lbs for 10 shillings, and the shopman had acted on his own responsibility in giving only six pounds. A similar explanation was given with reference to the flour, rice, and washing soda, as to all of which the shopman had greatly improved his instructions ; but Mr Mercer was unable to give any explanation why a shilling had been charged r or one pom dof butter instead of sixpence or eightpence.according to quality, according to the contract schedule, which wae per single pound, unless it was that people often came to the shop with relief orders, and did not show them until after the goods were made up on the ordinary customers' scale. To make a lone; story short, the interview ended without any definite decision being come to in the matter. A committee of three were appointed to iuterview the contractors, v/ho repeated their original explanation. They were then asked whether they would carry out the contract for small parcels atproportionate rates to those named for large parcels, or take the alternative of the trustees abandoning the contract. Messrs Mercer took time to consider their position, and a few days afterwards replied that they would carry out the contract according to the views of the trustres. They accordingly sent in an amended tender for the lines previously scheduled as per 100 pounds, showing proportionate prices ,-f or small parcels - as, for instance, oatmeal, Is per 10 pounds. The trustees, to make assurance doubly sure, now issue a price list with each relief order," All the papers have strong articles on the subject. The "Star" speaks in specially severe terms bi tne wrong inflicted upon the poor.