Sessional_Paper_1884 — Page 236

EVIDENCE.

FIRST MEETING,

COUNCIL CHAMBER, 2nd January, 1884.

Present: Honourable E. L. O'MALLEY, Attorney General, (Chairman).

22

A. LISTER, Treasurer.

F. B. JOHNSON.

"2

Mr. PRICE attends.-In reply to certain questions he states that blackmail might be levied on Contractors for allowing inferior work to pass, or by refusing to countersign Contractors' Bills; that some time back an Overseer named PoWER was dismissed for not seeing that a certain work was finished within the contract time; that no work is put up for contract without a specification, the preparation of which he himself super- vises; that the schedule of prices is low, considering the quality of the work done by the Department; that work done by Government is superior to that generally done for Messrs. BIRD & PALMER, Messrs. DANBY & LEIGH and other private firms; that tenders are not in the hands of rings, there are 16 respectable Contractors and that he does not generally accept tenders except from some of these; that as a rule 12, 14, or 17 tenders are received; that the rule laid down by Sir JOHN POPE HENNESSY was that upon open competition the lowest tender should be accepted, but that he, Mr. PRICE, stopped that system; that its result was to place contracts in the hands of gamblers and men of straw; that it was the rule to require each tenderer to deposit $50 as a pledge of his bona fides, but that he, Mr. PRICE, put a stop to that also; competition is now practically limited to the 16 or so selected by him as being respectable; other competitors are excluded; he does not suspect his subordinates of allowing inferior work to pass. Mr. PRICE gives the history of a contract and explains the system of carrying out and paying for Public Works at length. He is requested to, furnish a complete series of documents illus- trating a contract, including requisition, advertisement, specification, &c., from beginning to end. Also a tabular statement showing the particulars of all contracts of construction for the last 3 years.

THIRD MEETING,

COUNCIL CHAMBER, 5th January, 1884.

Present:--Honourable E. L. O'MALLEY, Attorney General, (Chairman).

""

A. LISTER, Treasurer.

F. B. JOHNSON.

Mr. BOWDLER is called.-On behalf of the Officers in his department he informs the Commission that they intend to forward a memorial to the Governor praying that the enquiry may be made public instead of private. He is then examined and states