-
!
32
Departmental system.
Revision of estimate.
execution; or where, as in town drainage, the
convenience of local bodies or of the inhabitants
has to be studied so that a contractor could not
be given freedom to proceed as best suits him;
or where, on account of climate, or the diffi-
culties incidental to newly opened countries,
risks have to be taken which cannot be esti-
majed with precision, then the preference would
usually be for the departmental system.
6. By the departmental system is meant in
effact that the Govermment bacomes its own con-
tractor, taking won itself the risks inseparable
from the undertaking but avoiding the payment of
the profit which a contractor would demand to
cover these risks. In practice the success of
the system depends on the Government being able
to entrust the control of the work to an officer
of its own, possessing the qualifications and
experience of the Chief Agent of a large con-
tractor, and to vest in that officer the same
large measure of discretion as such a contractor
gives to his agent.
7. The work having been sanctioned and the
system of construction determined, it may, before
beginning work, be necessary for the Consulting
Engineer to revise his estimates, in order that
the Secretary of State and the Colonial Government
may know exactly as possible the expenditure to
which they are committed. If a contract is to
be let this will naturally be done after the
receipt
88
.-3-