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Q-Do you think that process would be as cheap as Government doing its own
work?
A-I should say it would be cheaper.
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Q-Why do you think it would be cheaper?
A-As a rule, Government work is naturally a little more expensive. Take the ordinary contractor, he expects bigger prices from the Government. The more super- intendence you have, the more expensive it is. That is only with Chinamen, and you know what the Chinaman is.
Q--Would the work be better done?
A-No, under the Public Works Department, it would be better done than a pri- vate work.
Q-But would it be cheaper?
A-You will get more work for your money.
Q-If you have to pay for a superintending staff and a private firm's commission in addition to the ordinary cost, how would it be cheaper?
A-Because a great deal of the Government work is done by measurement, which is generally more expensive than contract work.
Q-For erecting a building the contract is generally let, and a lump sum is tendered.
A-But I don't think the Government do a lump sum as a rule, do thay? I think it is worked on schedule, and you measure the whole of it.
Q-They call for tenders for ordinary buildings.
A-You have a schedule, and it is so much for bricklaying and so much for other things.
Q-As a rule they call for tenders for a lump sum. What I want to get at is whether you think it would be as efficient and as cheap for Government to let out buildings to private firms?
A-Yes, it would.
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Q-Do you think the work would be as good as it is now ?
A-I think yes, having the attention of the overseers of the Government,
-But without the overseers ?
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A At present we have to rely a great deal on stray men that come bere not qualified men. Our great difficulty is to get anybody that understands anything about building. He only does what we tell him. The class of man we get here is the man who is stranded here, or who has got here in some way and may have some little fail- ings. As a rule, you don't get the class of men they have at home.
Q-So that private firms are not in a position to properly supervise large works ?
A-We should have to get out properly qualified Clerks of Works from home. Q-And that would cost some money?
A-As you say,
it would cost money to get good men out.
Q-Take a large job, would you be able with all these extras to do it cheaper than the Government?
A-I think probably we should.
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