THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2041, 14 July 1885, Page 2

THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.

(To the Editor.) Sir.—Notwithstanding all past exporioncos of low-priced contractors, still the rotten system of invariably accepting the lowest tender continues. No matter how low it is, even although it be fifty per cent less than the engineer's estimate, accepted it is, with the consequent result of after trouble and confusion. If a contractor has not a fair legitimate price for his work, he cannot, or will not if he can possibly wriggle out of it, do good honest work, Shun it he will, and shun it he does, notwithstanding the vigilance of overseers. This plan of farming outwork is a silly stupid one, for we find that under it a speculative' contractor obtains contracts at ridiculously Iqw prices, then sublets them for as much as lie can, at starvation rates, avails himself of a depressed state of the labour market, and takes advantage of the necessities of poor hard-up men. In fact, tliey are masters of the situation, and are seldom or never pushed as regard completing the work at the stipulated time. I contend, sir, that the greater part of our County work might, and ought to be carried out without the intervention of middle men at all: bridge building only to be done by contract; such work as road formation, and procuring material fer metalling purposes would be far more satisfactorily performed under the direct supervision of the Engineer. Let a scale of fairly remunerative prices be fixed for excavating and removing earth, and in the same way for quarrying and breaking metal; then let the attention of workmen be drawn by a notice in the newspaper to the effect that such and suck work is open at n stipulated price, and it will be found that there will be no difficulty in carrying out an arrangement of this sort; the work to be given by the piece to parties of labourers; uo monopoly of work to be allowed; only as much to be taken by ono party as tliey can perform within the required time. A Ithough I have little hopes of my suggestions being adopted, still. 1 think they are worthy of some consideration, 1 am, etc., Teiford.