Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-03-03


could be- procured 7nd insist on
the successful contractor matching
it. Wouldn't it have been better
to do that for the extra money
when there certainly is better stone
on the island than that chosen ?
: | leave the public to judge of this
and whether they approve OF such
one-sidcd conduct on the part OF
the Minister and the Executive.
1t appears to me that the future
consequences will be that contract.
ors will be discouraged from com
peting on government contracts in
any department and will leave the
field open for two or three OF the
favored ones to combine and put
up all sorts of jobbery at the ex-
pense of the taxpayers. If the
government adopt this line of con-
/ duct in future, it will be the death
knell of open contracting. An
other consideration that seems to
me of even greater weight in
our present circumstances Is this:
All residents have been urged to
forget and forgive former political
differences and to bury the
Ratchet, and become reconciled to
present circumstances, and live as
good citizens, and unitedly work
for the benefit of the country.
Now it appears to me that in this
contract award, no matter how
much the Executive may disclaim
it, every unprecedented resident
here will say that it seems in
place of trying to win over past
opponents you are doing all you
can to antagonize them further as
we'll as to create discomfort among
their own supporters and to car
ry out DIR. G. B. Woods policy of
stub it in" Further it should be
understood by the public that it is
no child's play to estimate on
buildings up in the thousands. 1t
takes both time and experience as
we'll as money Sufficient Legitimate
reasons ought to exist and be
made known therefore whenever
bids are rejected. When a public
building has to be erected or
other public work to be under
taken some ones bid must be &C.
copied at some time or other, as
the law compels all work over
$500 in value to be let by open
competition. To prevent con-
tractors combining to defraud the
taxpayer the official in charge
should always make an official
estimate of the probable cost and
when bonafde bids fall below this
the lowest should be accepted il
the bidder can furnish bondsmen
to insure the governments not
being cheated by scamped or in
sufficient work, especially as
the following clauses ac-
cording to custom are found in
the specifications: mo part of
the work is to be sublet without
the written consent of the Super.
intendent, otherwise sub. contracts
will not be allowed on the works.
None but the most competent
workmen are to be employed
thereon. Whoever in the opinion
of the Superintendent proves to be
careless or incompetent shall be
removed from the works by the
contractor when so notified by the
Superintendent" When Mr..
Thurston was Minister of the In
terror, in two cases, although the
bids were ridiculously below the
official estimate, he considered it
his public duty to forbid him
taking higher bid when sub
stantial bondsmen could be found
to guarantee carrying out the work
according to plan. In both cases
the contractors lost heavily,in fact
became bankrupt, and the Legis-
lature finally thought fit to recoup
the bondsmen their actual money
loss. But no question of that
nature arises in regard to this
contract. Under the same Min
lister or the late G. n. Spencer, l
forget which, bidders were re-
quired to deposit percentage on
their bids to ensure their bona
tides. The right to reject any or
all bids, though it undoubtedly
exists, must in public business
never be used capriciously and
for the benefit of one person or
section. 1t is only to be used for
the protection of the public inter-
ests--not against them. 1t may