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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2900, 14 February 1891, Page 2

The vog'ulations which have been raatlo by the CrDvernment in referonce to "the sub-lotting of portions of the work under contract, is calculated to have a salutary effect. A clause is to be inserted in all contracts that sub-letting and piece work is to be sufficient for cancellation of the contract. The sub-letting system favours sainewluit of sweating with the natural result that the work so sub-let is indifferently performed. Wo are incliucd to the belief that this is the least of the ivils arising from the system. A far greater one in our opinion is the facility it gives men of no substance of gotting into debt, defrauding their creditors, and in some cases clearing out leaving a lot of wages men unpaid. Bearing upon this aspect of the question, we feel sure the community generally would be a gainer if another clause were added, to che effect that no tender should be accepted below the engineer's estimate. Sureties, merchants and storekeepers from past unhappy experiences, would at once estimate the value of this proviso. Work, whether for the public or for private individuals, carried out at less than its value, simply means that the State or the individual get more than they pay for. A contractor takes a job at a price a long way below what it is known to be worth (that is to say if the engineer's estimates are anything to go by) lie either fails to complete, and his unfortunate sureties are compelled to finish the work at a ruinous loss, or his merchants or small business people as the case may be, arc the victims, their supplies have gone to provide a work for the State at los.i than its value. A clause to provide against this has an equal il not a greater right to bo included in all conditions of contracts, and we trust steps will be taken to direct the attention of the Minister for Public Works to the subject.