AGY-6286 | [Public Service] Tender Board (1898-1904) / Stores Supply and Tender Board (1904-1908) / Stores Supply Committee (1908-1923)

Full description

The Public Service Tender Board was established on 8 July 1898(1) as a result of the Public Service Board enquiry into government stores. The Board’s first meeting was held on 19 July 1898 and meetings for ordinary business were held once a week.(2)

Under Regulation number 346, the Tender Board “shall be the authority for dealing with tenders and conditions of contract for the whole of the stores or other requisites, including furniture, forage and provisions for the Public Service, other than supplies for the Railway Department, warlike stores, military clothing, and material required for works in course of construction not usually included in the annual contracts for supplies.”(3)

The Board consisted of the following members:

• Robert Hickson (Chairman) – Under Secretary for Public Works
• Edmund Fosbery – Inspector-General of Police
• Eric Sinclair – Inspector-General of the Insane
• Frederick W. Neitenstein – Comproller-General of Prisons
• P.B. Walker – Chief Electrician and Engineer in Chief of Telegraphs
• W.A. Gullick – Government Printer.(4)

In 1904, the Public Service Tender Board was known as the Stores Supply and Tender Board.(5) In 1903, control of stores was transferred from the Treasury to the Colonial Secretary and remained there until 1908 when responsibility was transferred back to the Colonial Treasurer.

In 1908, as a result of the recommendations to the Premier and Colonial Treasurer by the Auditor General, the Public Service Board conducted an investigation into the working of the Stores Supply and Tender Board. As a result, a Stores Supply Committee of four members replaced the Tender Board and control was placed with the Committee’s Secretary and Executive member.(6)

The Stores Supply Committee was replaced in 1923 with the State Contracts Control Board.(7)

ENDNOTES

1. Minute of the Governor and Executive Council, NSW Government Gazette No.591, 8 July 1898, p5138.

2. Public Service Board Annual Report 1899, p46, Appendix no.12.

3. Public Service Board Annual Report 1899, p5.

4. Public Service Board Annual Report 1899, p5.

5. Public Service Board Annual Report 1904, p28.

6. Concise Guide to the State Archives of NSW (Courts of Requests-G): Government Stores.

7. Regulations No. 216 to 221 under the Public Service Act, 1902 (Act No.31, 1902) in NSW Government Gazette 9 March 1923, p.1374.