XN000022-1979-04-11 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1979

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+DURING PERIODS OF INTENSE ACTIVITY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUCH AS WE ARE NOW EXPERIENCING, CONTRACTORS CAN AFFORD TO BE SELECTIVE IN THE CONTRACTS THEY TAKE ON AND IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THEM TO REFLECT IN TENDER PRICES THEIR LIMITED INTEREST IN WORKS WHICH THEY CONSIDER ARE TECHNICALLY COMPLEX, ARE AWKWARDLY LOCATED, HAVE VERY TIGHT OR VERY LONG CONTRACT PERIODS OR REQUIRE VERY LARGÉ CR SPECIALISED LABOUR FORCES, HE SAID.

+CONTRACTORS ALSO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT MUCH OF THE LABOUR ATTRACTED TO THE INDUSTRY BY HIGHER WAGES IS RELATIVELY UNSKILLED AND LESS EFFICIENT AND THEY MUST THEREFORE ALLOW FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF LARGER NUMBERS OF WORKERS, INCURRING EVEN GREATER COSTS, MERELY TO MAINTAIN THEIR FORMER STANDARDS OF OUTPUT.+

MR. MCDONALD ALSO REFERRED TO A PROPOSAL BY THE HON. ALEX WU, A SUPPORTER OF REDUCTIONS IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, THAT ANY PERIOD OF POSTPONEMENT IN THE LETTING OF PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACTS BE USED TO BUILD UP A RESERVE OF PROJECTS WHICH CAN BE READY TO PUT OUT TO TENDER WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT.

HE ASSURED MR. WU THAT THE VARIOUS PWD OFFICES WOULD CONTINUE TO PROCESS PROJECTS WITHIN THE AGREED PRIORITIES AND DEVELOP THEM THROUGH TO THE TENDER STAGE.

BUT HE WARNED THAT DURING ANY PERIOD OF DEFERMENT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD, IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES, CHANGE TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT CLIENT DEPARTMENTS MIGHT HAVE TO REVISE THEIR REQUIREMENTS THEREBY RENDERING MUCH OF THE PREPARED DRAWING AND DOCUMENT WORKS ABORTIVE WITH CONSEQUENT FURTHER DELAYS IN CONTRACT COMMENCEMENT DATES.

FOUR BILLS PASSED *****

FOUR BILLS WERE PASSED INTO LAW AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THEY ARE THE INLAND REVENUE (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1979, LEGAL OFFICERS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979, MAGISTRATES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979 AND THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1979.