( 104 )
Q.-I infer from what you say the supervision is better in Government Work?
A.-Undoubtedly.
Q-An Officer of Engineers told us the trained Sergeants of Engineers supervise work much better than the men the Government pick up here, but I infer the Overseers of private firms are still worse, that there are three grades:-(1) the trained Sergeants, (2) the Overseers employed by Government who are not so good, and (3) the Overseers of private firms, who are worse still.
A.-The Overseers we employ would not be worth ten cents at home. We ought to have a mechanic who understands, but here I have never seen one. We get, if we can, an intelligent man to carry out our instructions. Beyond that he knows nothing about the work.
We say "Take that wall down" and he sees it done, because we can- not stand there all the time. At home of course the idea of a clerk of works is to re- present the architect. He should know almost as much about it as his principal.
Q.--Then taking work for work you don't think Government Work is dearer?
A.-No; I should say they get good material, and there should be always a man looking over it; they should get better work than a private individual, and as a rule no doubt it is so.
Q.-Has it struck you the Government work is too good, needlessly fine?
A.—I should say you could not make it too good. If the Government build they want a good thing, while with private individuals it is just the opposite-they want it cheap; they want it good of course, but cheap; money is always the great thing.
Q.-Then do you find yourselves practically shut up to accepting the lowest tender in most cases?
A. Very often. Unless we know the man is a thorough scamp we take the lowest unless a better man will come down to the same.
Q.--But are there men such scamps that their tenders would not be accepted?
A.Yes; if we have had anything to do with them and they have turned out so bad that we could not trust them, we say "We will have nothing to do with you.'
Q.-You advise your clients not to employ them?
A. Yes.
11
Q.-But I suppose a certain amount of pressure is kept up to get a lower tender?
A. Yes, a person would very often like an inferior man to give a lower tender so as to get a better man to come down.
Q. Do you suppose your Overseers are bribed by the Contractors?
A.—I have no doubt they are to a certain extent.