CO129-419 - Individuals - 1914 — Page 113

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yet no action was taken by Mr. Chatham even at that date to place the responsibility on the Architect's shoulders.

Having regard to the fact that a Bill of Quantities forms the basis of a Contract sun and that this Bill formed part of the Contract, it follows that if the quantities were short, excess over the Contract price must naturally ensue.

With respect to the Specification and

Quantities for the work, I submit that my numerous letters to the Contractors are more of a specification, etc., than the Contract documents.

I would ask to be allowed to submit the Bill of quantities together with the Specification, Drawings and my Reports to the Council of the Royal Institute of British Architects and I venture to suggest that their opinion would be such as to explain the large excess in the eventual cost of the work.

The excess is exemplified by the following fact, that the building has cost about 50% more than anticipated (after allowing for variations made by the Government) which I submit is out of all reason.

The senior services in the Colony viz:- the

Admiralty and War Office, deal with their works in a

thoroughly technical way yet the majority of such worke

are of a smaller and less important kind than the work

now under your review.

As regards the proposed Clock Tower, the