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Q-Your firin would plan the work ?
A-Yes.
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Q-And prepare estimates for it?
A-Yes.
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Q-Make all the drawings?
A-Yes.
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Q-Then obtain tenders for it?
A The Government would.
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Q-You will obtain the contractors?
A-I shall obtain contractors.
of Public Works.
All the tenders will be submitted to the Director
Q-But you, instead of the Director of Public Works, obtain the tenderers ?
A-- Yes.
Q-And you expect the work will be cheaper than if done directly under the Dir- ector of Public Works?
A--Yes, I think it will be cheaper.
Q-The prices are rising, are they not?
A-They have been rising for some years. I don't think they have risen for the last several months, but, in the last three or four years, they have risen considerably.
By the Chairman.-Do you think this scheme, as entrusted to your firm, will be carried out more cheaply, notwithstanding the fact that you bave to receive your commission ?
A-Yes, I should say so.
Q-Why will it be cheaper?
that time.
A-Comparing it with the Tytam works, for instance, and the prices ruling at We have gone into the estimates very fully and it struck me it would be very considerably cheaper than the same class of work at Tytam.
Q-Supposing the Director of Public Works then had called for tenders in the same way, would he have found them cheaper ?
A-I think so.
Q-Is it owing to the fact that the prices are somewhat different now from what they were when the Tytam works were undertaken ?
A-I think that has something to do with it, but the tendency is to tender more cheaply for a private firm.
By Mr. Thurburn. Who does the overseering? Is he a Government over- seer or your own?
A-The overseers will be paid by Government, but they will be under our orders. They will take orders from us.
Q-But do they belong to the Government staff of supervision?
A—I think we shall have to get special men when they are recommended by the Public Works Department.
Q-You will have to get special men?
A-We will get men specially for that work.