Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), Wednesday 6 April 1892, page 4


PERTH - BUNBUBY RAILWAY.

TENDERS FOB SECOND SECTION.

Yesterday the tenders for constructing the second section of the PerthBunbury Railway, being a length of 58 miles from Pinjarrah to Bnnbury, were opened at the Public Works Office, in the presence of several tenderers. The first section. Perth to Piniarrah, has been under

construction about four months, having been let to Messrs. Atkins and Law. The second section will have to be commenced at the Bunbory end, as a practical necessity ; and this new work may be expected to impart to the Bnnbury district a considerable impetus. The conditions of tendeiiog require that the permanent way and stations shall be constructed completely, including the providing of all materials except the rails and fastenings, which are supplied at the separate cost of the Government; although the contractor has, of course, to fix the rails on the sleepers and to ballast the line ready for the rolling stock. Fifteen months is fixed for completing the work. The calculating of quantities has been simplified to intending contractors, by the quantities being worked out and supplied in a complete and handy form, through the Public Works Department. Precisely ai 12 noon the office of the Engineer-in-Chief, Mr. C. Y. O'Connor,was opened to the public, and about two dozen persons gathered in the room to witness the opening of tenders. The Hon. Geo. Shenton, Hon. W. E. Marmion, and If on. S. Buit, members of the Government.were present as spectators. Mr. H. D. Holmes, manager of the West Australian Bank, Mr. E. ~S.-i3.riB, and about 20 contractors from other colonies were also among those present. The tenders were opened seriatim by the Engineer-in-Chief, who noted whether they were in due form and passed them on to the Hon. H. W. Venn, Commissioner of Railways, who noted the amount of each tender. The tenders were then passed to a clerk for official record. About fifteen minutes were occupied in the work, and the Engineer-io-Chief then announced that the total number of tenders was 10, that 2 were informal and 8 in order, and that the lowest tender was from Mr. Neil M'Neil, the amount being £68,514. The names and amounts of the other parties tendering were not disclosed. The amount of the lowest tender was commented oa, after the parties had left the room, the general opinion being that the figures were considerably less than had been expected. It will be remembered that Mr. A'eil M'tfeil, who is connected with the Jarrahdale Timber Mills, was the principal member of the firm which constructed the Perth Waterworks. The price at which be has tendered for the Bunbury-to-Pinjarrah section will be fonnl to be a few shillings under £1182 per mile.