"IN THE SOUP."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 244, 20 November 1909, Page 6

"IN THE SOUP."

MR. BERRY AND THE HARBOR BOARD.

At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday the following letter was received from Messrs J). Berry and Co., New Plymouth, under date l'Jtli October;—"We are in receipt of yours of the loth, and note that the time for receiving tenders, for Muntz metal, etc., has been extended' to lotll December next. You give no reason in your letter for the Board's action over this, Jjut, according to reports in the newspapers the consideration of tenders was deferred at the request of a, M'ellington linn, because they had not hail time to put the sp<citations in the hands of British makers. You will pardon u» for pointing out that this is by no means fair to those tenderers, like ourselves, who incurred the expense of cables to and from London to obtain i| notations, in the belief that the invitation to tender was bona tide. It now appears, from a verbal explanation by your secretary that it w;'s not; in short', that ihe MoiiWl had no intention of accepting a tinnier, merely going through the farce of calling fj' tenders to comply with, the law, all the time intending to indent the material on its own account. Whether the one or the other explanation, viz., that given in the pressor that vouchsafed by the secretary, is the true one, we still maintain that the Board's action over the alTalr was improper, and unfair to those firms who had the enterprise to attempt to comply with the conditions. Another feature of the matter is that the Tarannki ratepayers arc likely to pay dearly for the Board'B desire to oblige one particular firm by extending the time, as we appear to be on the eve of a boom in all the industrial metals owing to a sharp revival of international trade. ;.s all the metal markets' are excited aid advancing. It is within the bounds of possibility that, a much higher price may have to be paid in December for the material, whether by public competition "r Ivy private indenting. In anv case, we think that the .proper thing to have done was to have considered the tenders offered, and to have awepted the lowest unless it could be .shown that it was too high and that the Hoard could do better; as al firms had equal opportunities n! submitting offers." During the reading of the letter, a:. Ihe words "on its own account," the chairman interjected: "Did you tell bin, that!" And the secretin- replied: "No, J' did not."

Members took exception to Hie tone of the communication.

Sir. McCluggagc: Who wrote that lei tcr?

Tbe chairman: Air. Ticrrr. Mr. McCluggagc: lie's got „ cheek to send us a letter like that. 'l'l'e chairman remarked (hat Mr. Herrv wus gelling "in tl„. „,„,,'■ 1,,,,.,. j IN t „', lie had done in oil matters bv iniikin - such statements. The secretary repeated thai he hud never made the statement attributed to him by Mr. Berry. .Mr. McCluggagc again commented on ithe writer's "cheek." Mr. King: Cheek, by Jove! The letter should lie on the table. Mr. Connett wasn't so sure that tint was the proper course, for they had to consider the secretary. It win n bit rough on riim to have such :• itabincnl made and not replied to.

Mr ftomii'll was understood to viy i nnf. )io iliiln't give twopence for wlmt ;Jr* V>i 7' l 'n f a "V: S0 . ,0 »s: »s tlm Tlmrt] satisfied with liis explanation. Up c'ouldn t linve told Mr. Berry whnt \va* in tliat lottor. for lie hadn't known until lie next meeting t.lmt the Board would not accent a tender. Ho had said Unit tlio Board was compelled bv law to advertise tenders'. The chairman said it ivas all right. Hie secretary liad made his deni.il, and dnnlitless liis word would be taken liy ine imlilie. The letter will fa nokuowledjed.