BUILDERS' GRIEVANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2195, 15 January 1886, Page 2

BUILDERS' GRIEVANCE.

(Advt.)

To the Editor,

Sib,—ln reference to the advertisement appearing elsewhere, would yob \ kindly allow me space to state one of tjfc reasons why the majority of the builders of Masterton refuse to tender for any work brought out by Mr FannnV Tenders are called for the erection of\\house for R. R. Meredith, Esq. WhenlWed,. . the tender of Wrigloy and Rosols the lowest, and thoy are given to understand that it will be accepted, on the approval of the proprietor. A week olapseß, and the next thoy hear is that it is more money than Mr Meredith was prepared to expend, and he wishes certain reductions made, items of which are furnished to Wrigley and Rose by Mr Fannin. They put in their reduced price, ana\ another week goes past, when, to their''.. utter astonishment, Mr Fannin informs them that Williams and Barkeijjnaving made a further reduction than tllpave," their tender (W. and B.'s) will bo accepted. Now, Mr Fannin is well aware that ' the trade usage k to allow the lowest tenderer to have the sole option of reducing his price according to reduction^'' made in tho work, and not to call in any other tenderer. If no tender had been accepted, and he, had publicly called foji.'. fresh tenders, he would have been according to the acknowledged rules 'of the trade. But to hawk it about from one to another, at the same time giving: Wrigley and.Rose to understand that their tendor would be accepted conditionally, and to eventually work the thing round so that it falls into the hands of the> highest tenderer is.'.to say the! least of it, unprecedented. There are several other reasons why the contractors on the list refuse to tender for his work, which Mr Fannin can have furnished through the columns of tho press, should ho wish it. ■' The average number of tenders received ' by Mr Fannin for any work entrusted tp him does not exceed two, and occasion-, ally, he has to personally interview the different contractors to obtain that number, where other architects in Masterton average six. This in itself is enough to convince the general public that is vd jo straight as it migfflle. 1 am, &c., Thos. Wmqley, Contractor.