H—27a

(12) In recommending to Cabinet, through the Minister, the acceptance of the further tenders of which acceptance was so recommended. The following tenders were received :

Tenders—Second Series Closing date: 17th April, 1946.

At the Board's meeting on the 30th April, 1946, these were dealt with. Minute No. 1761 sets out :■ — M.T. Vehicles ex U.S. Forces. (185/84) 1- Schedule of tenders for the Dodge trucks and Jeeps ex U.S. Forces was received. The General Manager reported that the Minister had directed that before the tenders were dealt with a Committee consisting of the Board's valuers and a representative of the Public Works Department must inspect and value all the vehicles. The report of the Committee was received. It was resolved, in view of the difficulties of making valuations as expressed by the Committee, the time that it would take to do so, and the approach of winter, that it be a recommendation to Cabinet through the Minister that the highest tenders for the Dodge trucks and Jeeps be accepted. 2. A communication from Mr. Langstone, M.P., to the Prime Minister was read with reference to the general question of the Board's handling of the disposal of vehiclesjiex U.S. Forces. It was resolved that the General Manager should submit a draft reply to a special meeting of the Board to be called as soon as such draft reply had been circulated to members of the Board. The valuers' report referred to is as follows : Wellington, 26th April, 1946. The General Manager, War Assets Realization Board. Valuation of Wrecked and Incomplete Motor-trucks sgheduLed in Lot 2 and 3, Tender No. 318: Preliminary Report On receiving your instructions to value the above motor trucks we visited the Holding Park, ♦Seaview, Lower Hutt, to commence the valuation. After viewing the "wrecked vehicles we are of the opinion that we should submit this preliminary report to W.A.R.B. and receive further specific instructions before proceeding further in the valuation of the vehicles. All the Dodge trucks are stacked fender to fender in large blocks approximately 24 trucks square except in a few isolated cases and those Jeeps that are stacked on the ground are packed together in a similar manner. Approximately fifty per centum of the Jeeps, however, are loaded on top of the G.M.C. trucks belonging to Mr. Gillies and here again the G.M.C. trucks loaded with Jeeps are packed in large blocks and touching each other. Furthermore these Jeeps are wedged well down in the G.M.C. truck bodies. We have been asked to value each vehicle individually and to do this it will be necessary to separate each vehicle with at least two feet between each to allow for inspection of the under gear, chassis, &c. There is not sufficient room in the Holding Park to allow o'f this physical separation as all available space is now occupied with the vehicles packed touching each other and some loaded on the G.M.C. trucks.

29

Tenderer. Lots 2 and 3. Lot 2. Lot 3. £ £ £ C. H. Campbell, Ltd. 44,115 25,627 18,488 W. R. O'Fee and Co. 43,650 19,300 Archibalds' Garage 32,000 Bisley and Walling 27,000 G. T. Gillies, Ltd 26,010 A- P. Finlayson 25,298 A. R. Jensen 15,120 10^010 5 j 110 C. R. Vincent 26,050 General Repair Service 20,150 Turners and Growers 5,460 Hart Motors 5,050 J. W. Thornton 2,000 C. E. Smith and Co. 3,500 E. J. Glover 16,517