CEMENT CONTRACT—THE HIGHEST TENDER ACCEPTED.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 250, 22 January 1889, Page 2

CEMENT CONTRACT—THE HIGHEST TENDER ACCEPTED.

At the Harbor Board meeting yesterday the subject of the cement contract again came up, when the sum of £B5 was being voted as commission to the Union Bank for granting a credit in London against which McEwan and Co may draw for cement shipped. McEwan and Co also cabled to the Board that their price per ton did not include exchange, and they would require to add sixpenoe per cask, making their price, cost, freight, insurance and exchange 14s 9d cash in London, to which must be added the £B5 Bank commission, and cost of cablegrams to and from McEwan and Co, which sum is equal to 2d per cask net on the quantity tendered for, This matter has now assumed a most serious aspect, and the ratepayers would do well to bear it in mind at the present juncture. By a comparative table below we show that they lose a considerable sum by this private quotation between MoEwan and .Co and the Board, and it would be well for the Board in future to insist that every tenderer should bo placed on an equal footing, every condition being observed to the letter, and not be led away by statements of what can be saved, until the actual figures are before them. The Engineer stated when the first tenders were before the Board tn December, that a large sum could be saved by cabling Home, and the Board have been lulled into the belief that a saving was made ; but with the figures before them yesterday it is hard to conceive how a number oi business men could be made to believe that they saved sevenpence per cask on the cement, as was stated by Mr Sievwright. Do these figures bear out that statement 1—

As the National MortgsgejCo’s terms were ca E h in the colony, it may be fairly assumed they would allow at least 2 per cent discount for cash paid in London, which, deducted from their tender, would make their price 86s 2d per ton, and a saving to the Board of 3s 4d per ton in 2000 tops, foaking a total difference between MeEwaqandOo. and the lowest tender of £333 6s Bd. 'Ratepayers, these are the business men who conduct your Harbor affairs, and this is the actual result of ihe last cement contract!

National Mortgage Co .. £4 8 0 per ton Johnston and Co* .. 4 8 9 McEwan and Co (accepted) 4 9 6 II The latter tender is shown thusPer cask, net cash in London . a £0 14 9 Multiplied by •« 6 £4 9 6