THE BUILDERS' GRIEVANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2196, 16 January 1886, Page 2

THE BUILDERS' GRIEVANCE.

(Advt.)

MR FANNIN IN REPLY, To the Editor. . Sir.—Allow me space to reply to the advertisement and letter emanating from the elastic firm (if Wrigley and Rose. I shall simply state the facts of the case mentioned by Mr Thomas Wrigley, and let the public judge for themselves. On the 23rd. December last, tenders were received by me for the erection of a dwelling for Mr R, R. Meredith. As Mr Meredith did not come into town on that day or the following, I opened the fenders, informed Mr Wrigley that Wrigley and Rose were the,lowest, that I would send Mr Meredith a list of the tenders, and let him know the result. I did not say or give him'to understand that his tender would be accepted; on.the. contrary, in one of the interviews I : had with him I told him the tenders -were above what Mr Meredith intended toexpend, and that! did not know; whether Mr Meredith would' make a reduction, or alter tho plana and call for fresh tenders. Mr Meredith's reply, received 31st December, instructed me not to accept any tender, and to obtain prices for the work' privately. Tho same day I informed Mr Wrigley that nq tender would be accepted, but 1 omitted to return his deposit cheque. (The other' deposit cheques were returned the day after tenders were received),' Before going outside the tenderers for a price for the work, I thought it be?t to ascertain what reductions Mossrs Wrigley and Rose would make if certain expensivo items werejtruck out or altered, and I proposed sending the list ' that night (31st) to Mr Meremth;. but the time lost m correcting a palpable' error, Trhicli I' pointed out, in the afoount . of one item, and which

'lose.';the mail^ Hi\f_ : prevent;theni Jgettiiig the work'l have refrained from jjointing error. the deposit'cheque of Messrs, Wrigley alncVg Road by post, stating that i/did so becau'Se|;: no tender had been tiiirifei? for whichth'e cheque^ Then, remembenrig tnyj instructions^ifld" : :> the fact that the' .difference., tenders of! - atid Rose and Hams and Barker was .iut ten ■Bhilllings|'. and considering that Mr wish to see what reductions' WllliatnsK and Barker would-make on. the- s*me? ltems, I obtained.prices" on the 2nd January,' without them of the amount' of' WriglAy. and;'!Rose's reductions. The highest tended was £n4 abovo that of Williamß Barker. Before sending the list of reduc-jv tions to - Mr-Meredith,- Vi told Wrigley ■ that: { ; Mr SMeMith'; -Mi?' instructed me ,to obtain : price* K privately, and.asked quently Mr Rose, if they: •? had given in'*wore the .mP|H[ could !a make, and,they both replied <o that they;Kad tendered low.. On Welvfl" ;: items Wiljfams and Barker reduced their-., tender by|B46 more than Wrigley and ? ! Rose: Mr Meredith; on-seeing the lists;:' decided (ordeal; with Messrs Williams and' Barker, Vut-no definite arrangetpbnt has ' v yetbeeii:made.',-'Had the reductions of ■■• Wrigley'and Rose come within—not tenv ■ flhillinga—but evoh a few pounds of Will ".' Hams and Barker's,' probablyMr Meredith lwould have dealt with them,' 1 informed-. •• %rWrigley ;,accordin?ly. : , the first.; timerl.'saw ;him after reeiving Mr Meredith's decision. The grievances of. Messrs Wrigloy and Rose are" ; that: if/they :had. known - the name or names of those they were tendering 'against, they would have made greater ' ■reductions—that; one ..speaks- for itselffind, that I Bhould .have ignored their interpretation of a trade usage, and consulted, the', interests of my employer rather than ' In private" architect '" tural tending it,is-not usual to call for fresh tenders, unless material alterations ' are made in the plans. In this case none V had been decided upon. The average,- : number of tenders received by me over - 'I the 1 past two - years is four. As to th&/;-' reasons certain contractors do not. tender ' for-wbrk advertised by me, it concern* ", me not at all, so long as two or three thoroughly competent men do so. Ipas» .. by Mr Wrigley's concluding insinuatioawith the contempt it deserves. lam,&c, Geo,Fahnw.