Engineering Notes.

Progress, Volume XVI, Issue 1, 1 September 1920, Page 22

Engineering Notes.

The District Engineer invited tenders last month for the erection of the Piako River Bridge, Mangateparu, near Morrinsville.

The Public Works Department invites tenders for the undermentioned supplies, advertised to close on dates shown, have each been extended as under: —3-unit exciter sets, October 6; Switchboard, October 6; Pipe-line October 6; Service transformers, October 6; Sub-station transformers September 8.

The Wakatane Borough Council desires tenders for the following electrical equipment. Section "A", Generator and exciter; Section "B", panels for generator, exciter, and substations; Section "C", outdoor type transformers; Section "D and E'', insulators- Sections "F, G, and H", wire and cable; Section "I", service meters; Section "J", street lighting equipment. Also quotations for testing instruments. The specifications may be seen at the offices of the Town Clerk, Whakatane; Toogood, Jones, and Holmes, N.Z. Insurance Buildings, Auckland; Toogood Jones and Holmes, 11 Grey Street, Wellington; and J. R. Templin, Chrischurch.

The Public Works Department invite tenders up till noon of the and November for the supply of wire ropes for the Buller and Waireka river suspension bridges, also, up till 20th October, tenders will be received for the manufacture, supply and delivery of seven plate girder spans for the Hope river bridges, Midland railway.

', The Stores "Manager, Public Works Department, invited quotations for the following, last month:—(l) 192 electrical instruments (transformers, Meters, etc.) ; (2) 4,500,000 sup. ft. sawn Douglas Fir (Oregon) ; (3) 1000 Rolls Prepared Roofing Material; (4) 5 tons round mild steel "'Kids.

The New Plymouth Borough Council invited tenders last month for the supply of 1120 ft. of 54 in. steel penstock pipe and fittings.

Tenders will be received up .till Monday, 13th Sept.. 1920, for the supply of Australian Hardwood Timber.

Tenders will be received by the Public' Works Department up till noon, 14th Sept., for the supply of a synchronous condenser, Lake Coleridge electrical power scheme.

The Public Works Department also invites tenders for a supply of girders for Bealey River bridge, Midland Railway. Tenders close 10th November.

The Christchurch City Council proposes to raise a special loan of .£17,000 for the construction of waterworks for the supply of pure water for the inhabitants of North Linwood and Avonside.

Tenders are invited by the Christchurch City Council for a quantity of series street-lamps.

The Milton Borough Council invite tenders, closing 30th Sept., for the supply of waterworks material, manufacture and erection of steel tower.

The net tenders received for the electrification of the Otira Tunnel were as follows: — National Electrical and Engineering- Company, £284,012. English Electrical Company, £264,973: ; The actual, figures . submitted by the English Electric Company were ,£313,467, but included in this sum there was a considerable amount of apparatus not tendered for by the National Electrical Company, the main items of which were as follows: —Second main prime mover and generator ,£24,9154, two condensers ,£8641, one spare lighting set £6173, one secondary condenser ,£1062, pipe work (water and automatic) £7700, total ,£48,493. This amount, subtracted from the company's tender, gives the amount of ,£264,973, stated above, and shows that when reduced to the same basis the English company’s price v.as more favourable to the extent of £19,038. In addition to the tender of £284,012 by the National Electrical Company, they submitted seven other alternatives, making eight tenders in all, as follows:—(1) £284,012, (xa) £299,362 (2) £287,382, (2a) £302,762, (3) £305,333, (3a) £325,800, (4) £316,915, ( 4 a) £337,385. Alternatives 1,2, 3 and 4 are for major machinery of American manufacture, and the alternatives la, to 4a, are for the supply of major machinery of British manufacture. As has already been explained in the House of Representatives by the Minister for Public Works, one of the main considerations in deciding which tender should be accepted was that of efficiency, s o that there should be no break-down nor delay in the conveyance of goods and passengers through the tunnel. The English company made the necessary provision for duplication to ensure this.