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Q.-Well we have it in evidence, and you seem to confirm it to a considerable extent, that we cannot expect Government work to be done much lower by anybody than it is at present.
A.-Well, I don't know. The work is all right, but I might be able to make a suggestion perhaps in some respects as regards that. It is not the carrying out of the work. I have been inquiring of some of my Contractors yesterday and to-day, since I was invited to come up here. In my own practice, suppose I get a tender in for some work. I get the tenderer to come down to his lowest point, and then he goes to my client. Say the tender he gives me is $20,000. I send him to my client. My client will say to him, "Now if you will do this for $17,000 or $18,000 I will give you the work," and in some cases, in fact I know as a rule, they do come down, knowing they will get it there and then; but if they have to wait, and don't know whether they will get it or not, they won't. If you had an office where they could go, and the Colonial Secretary or some one would say to them. "My estimate is $17,000; show me where I make a mistake," and if he cannot do so then say. "My estimate is $17,000. If you will do it for that I will give it you." There is no doubt these men combine.
Q.-Then it really amounts to this, that a private person is in a better position for driving a bargain than the Government?
A. Yes, because you tie him (the Contractor) down; you fix him to his price before he has an opportunity of talking to the other Contractors.
Q.-You strike the bargain more quickly?
A. And you put it down. I never allow him to go away, because they fix it among themselves. There is no doubt about that. I have known cases where tenders have been sent in, and before these tenders have been opened I have known not only the names of the persons tendering, but also the contents. You get this information from any Contractor. They all know how each one tenders.
Q.--Have you any reason to suppose the amount of the tenders gets out from the department itself?
there.
A.—No, I don't think that. They know of it, but I don't think it emanates from
Q.-A question has arisen about the measuring of work. Will you kindly tell us what is your own practice with regard to measuring work when it is not done by
contract?
A. Either Mr. LEIGH or myself measures it.
Q.-And you have no trouble?
A.-No; we simply say "you get so much," and if they grumble it has no result. "As a rule we always specify in our specification that any extra work done has to be paid for on the scale of the Royal Engineers, and the Public Works Department. They are the same. Some of the prices are too high and others too low, but on the whole it is fair.
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