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but the Vestry could not reckon on such a profit as this, as in the case of a
contractor he is at liberty to tender for works in all parts, and so have his men
and plant going all the year, whereas the Yestry would be confined to this
special work; and there may be times when we shall not have a single street in
hand, and in that case our plant and staff would be idle.
To start this work would involve an outlay of £1,000 in plant.

Even supposing that this sum were earned, it would, when spread over the
various owners in these thirty streets, be so small as to be scarcely perceptible.
I have so far taken the best view of this matter, but it is a difficult task
indeed to estimate upon a matter which after all is one of speculation. If this
work could be dealt with in a more economical manner, there is 110 doubt that itwould
be an incentive to builders to come into the parish to open up the 615
acres of vacant land; but, on the other hand, if the Yestry were to fail in their
attempt, and caused these streets to become more costly, there is no doubt that
it would prevent that rapid development which would otherwise take place.
I have been unable to obtain any information which would guide me as to the
comparative cost of work done by public tender and that dealt with privately
as I know of no parish or public body that deals with such work other than by
public tender.
I think that it is only reasonable that contracts submitted to competition can
be dealt with in a far more economical manner than those dealt with in any
other form, and from the following figures it will be seen that the Vestry have
admitted that they cannot deal with this work as economically as though it
were submitted to competition.
Mr. Norrington's. estimate for sixty roads was £35,340, whereas the actual
cost of these roads was only £25,003, being £10,337 less than the estimate. It
will therefore be seen that the estimate for these roads was 41 per cent. higher
than the actual cost. These figures prove that at that time the Vestry could
not deal with this work as economically as though it were done by public
tender.
With respect to the second point:—"Would the work, if dealt with by the
Yestry, be any better in construction ?"
This is a point of great importance to the ratepayers, inasmuch as these
streets, after having been taken over under compulsory powers, have ever after
to be maintained out of the General Rate.
It is an admitted fact that the cheapest constructed roads are in fact the
dearest, and vice versd, for when a road has been badly constructed the