1899
25 April 1899
Contract Let.
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael are the successful tenderers for the alterations to the shop front in Mr. Vale's Market-street buildings. The windows are to be lowered, and the whole front greatly improved. The premises will shortly be opened as a boot and shoe store on a most extensive scale1
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14 July 1899
Smart Work.
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael have shown some very smart work in the erection of the new brick shop, where Mr. Sheppard had his saddlery in Market-street. They were limited to a month, and will finish well within the time. The premises have been erected for Mr. Daly, the ground landlord, and will, we hear, be occupied by a high-class draper2
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15 September 1899
Progressive Mudgee.
Tenders have been invited for the erection of several residences in and around Mudgee. Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael are the successful tenderers of Mr. W. Wilton, sen's., residence. Operations were commenced last Monday, and the contractors hope to complete their work in about five weeks. Messrs. Murphy Brothers are the successful tenderers for Mr. Adam Roth's residence at Pipeclay Creek. The work will be commenced next week, and six bricklayers will be engaged on the work. Mr. H. Hardwick notifies that tenders will close this week for the erection of a residence at Grattai for Mr. W. J. Mattick, and also additions to Mr. D. K. Reid's building, Church-street. Tenders are invited in this issue for additions to Mr. Phillips' residence3
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1900
4 June 1900
A Fine Cottage.
The other day a representative of the "Guardian" had the pleasure of inspecting a cottage in Lewis street, erected by Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael for the occupation of Mr. W. Carmichael. The plans were drawn by Mr. Carmichael himself, and all the rooms are fitted with fire places and are most light and airy. The finish of the building is excellent, leaving nothing to be desired. There is a large underground tank with force pump, and the whole property reflects great credit on the builders4
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1901
30 May 1901
Mudgee
A few mornings ago, while Masters C. Carmichael and G. Collyer were after a horse in Mr. G. Orman's paddock at Bombira, they started a rabbit up. "Bunny" had not gone far when an eaglehawk swooped down, and, clutching him, flew up into an adjacent tree. The prospects of a rabbit becoming the morning repast of a rapacious eagle were, how ever, spoilt, just as 'bunny' was about to say his prayers, by a few magpies attacking the hawk, and making things so lively for him that he dropped his captive, which made the best of is liberty, and got out of harm's way without stopping to say 'thank you, in the relief party5
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1902
4 September 1902
Improvements at Havilah.
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael are carrying out improvements at Havilah House for Mr. H. C. White6
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7 September 1903
Improvements to the Commercial Warehouse.
We learn that Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael are the successful tenderers for the extensive improvements to the Commercial Warehouse. The work was commenced this morning, and when completed will give Loneragan's, Ltd., increased facilities for carrying on their great business7
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1905
20 July 1905
Hargraves.
(From our Correspondent.)
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael of Mudgee, have finished their contract for the repair of the lock-up, and after long delay, Constable Tubman's quarters have been made very comfortable. The repairs were badly needed8
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1908
24 September 1908
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
In the office of Mr. Harold Hardwick, architect, the tender of Messrs Collyer and Carmichael has been accepted for the erection of two modern cottages on the Guntawang Estate for Mr. H. R. Denison. The architect has also accepted the tender of James Hardie and Co, for re-roofing Guntawang Homestead with purple fibre cement tiles and terracotta crestings. Tenders are being called for the erection of a cottage for Mr. H. Caughey, and a large homestead at Warrangunyah for Mr. Walter Suttor9
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1909
22 April 1909
IMPROVEMENTS IN CHURCH STREET.
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael, contractors, have nearly completed the work in connection with the erection of Saunders Bros.' new shops in Church Street. They are handsome and fairly commodious offices and the appearance of the street has been much improved by the building10
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21 October 1909
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
At the office of Mr. H. R. Hardwick, architect, the tender of Messrs Collyer and Carmichael has been accepted for the erection of a lollie factory for McFarlane Bros., at the corner of Church and Gladstone Streets. The contractors have been allowed 19 weeks for the completion of the work, which will be carried out under the personal supervision of Mr. H. R. Hardwick, A. I. A11
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13 December 1909
HOSPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The tender of Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael, of Mudgee, £511/1, has been accepted for the alterations to the Mudgee Hospital. When the matter was brought forward after the tenders were opened at Tuesday night's meeting, committee men suggested that the tenders be allowed to remain in abeyance, as funds were not available. This brought Mr. W. G. Hull to his feet with the resolution that the tender of Messrs. Col lyer and Carmichael be accepted, and he was supported by Mr. Tozer, who drove his argument home vigorously by pointing out that if they did not accept the tender that night they would be in a fair way to losing the sum of £350 voted by the Government, and then quite won the timor ous section of the committee over remarking that if a little effort at Lue could bring in £50, which, with the Government subsidy would be increased to £100, surely they could do something similar in Mudgee. The pride of the committee was touched and the motion was carried unanimously12
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1910
21 July 1910
TENDERS FOR ST. MARY'S SPIRE.
Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael, contractors of Mudgee, are among the tenderers for the erection of the spire of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Mudgee, and will, in all probability, be successful in securing the contract. Their tender is, we understand, £450, and is the lowest13
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1913
23 October 1913
HOSPITALS.
MUDGEE, Wednesday.
The Chief Secretary's Department has notified its approval of the acceptance of the tender of Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael of £1231 13s for alterations to the Mudgee Hospital, and the tender of James Ward, Ltd., of £253 10s for hot water service. The cost may be met to the extent of £740 from funds provided by the Government.
The Chief Secretary states that the balance of the amount required will be provided when the Estimates are passed14
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1916
31 January 1916
Question of Tenders.
The Mudgee High School.
Irate Contractors.
A short time ago Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael forwarded the following letter to the Educational Department through Mr. Dunn:-
"Having seen by the papers that the Mudgee High School has been let to a firm of Government contractors for £6800, we with to know if such is a fact, and if they are going on with the job; if so we think we have been treated very unfairly, having been the lowest tenderers at £5400, and our tender having been recommended for acceptance when the war broke out. We think at this stage we should have been consulted, and £900 should not have been given to Government contractors. We cannot all live in the city. Country towns must go ahead, and when Government work is required in country towns we should have an equal opportunity with Sydney workmen. If we had been given that job we could have employed every man in the building trade for 18 months. Now we will have a batch of Sydney workmen here doing what Mudgee mechanics should have. With our tender we sent a deposit of £250 odd, and added 5s 6d exchange. It was returned to us three months later, and we had to pay 5s 6d again, on the Government cheque; and after three whole days in making up the tender. We contend that we have only been made use of with our money and time, and We think it time to complain when the Department has £900 to throw away."
The following reply was forwarded by the Under-secretary of Public Instruction to Mr. Dunn: -
"With reference to the letter presented by you from Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael, contractors, Mudgee, respecting their tender for the erection of high school buildings at Mudgee, I have the honor, by direction of the Minister for Education, to inform you that the position is that this Department has arranged with the Constructor of Public Buildings to erect buildings at actual cost, plus 5 per cent,. for over head charges and that the sum of £6300 is only a minimum which is not to be exceeded, and which it is anticipated will not be reached.
"Mr. Griffith also wishes it to be pointed out that the practice of the Building Construction Branch, when undertaking works in country districts, is to employ local labor where the same is available, so that, at far as local workmen are concerned, it makes little difference whether they are employed by the Building Constructor or a private contractor.
"I am to add that the Minister has approved of interest at the rate of 6 per cent, being allowed on the deposit lodged with Messrs. Collyer and Carmichael's tender, for the time it was held by the Department, and of the refund to them of the amount they had to pay as exchange on their cheque".
1916
11 February 1916
STATE ENTERPRISE
Stifling Local Industry
How State enterprise, in the form of the day-labor system, stifles local industry, was related by Collyer and Carmichael, contractors, of Mudgee, in a recent letter to the Minister for Education. The tender of Collyer and Carmichael, of £5400, was recommended for acceptance in connection with the building of the Mudgee High School. The Minister for Education, however, gave the work to the Constructor of Public Buildings (its day-labor expert), whose "tender" was £6300. Upon this the private contractors commented: - "We cannot all live in the city. Country towns must go ahead, and when Government work is required in country towns we should have an equal opportunity with Sydney workmen. If we had been given this job we could have employed every man in the building trade for 18 months. Now we will have a batch of Sydney workmen here doing what Mudgee mechanics should have. With our tender we sent a deposit of £250 odd, and added 5/6 exchange. It was returned to us three months later, and we had to pay 5/6 again on the Government cheque; and after three whole days in making up the tender. We contend that we have only been made use of with our money and time, and we think it time to complain when the Department has £900 to throw away." The Minister for Education replied that he had arranged with the Constructor of Public Buildings to erect the buildings at actual cost, plus 5 per cent. for overhead charges. The sum of £6300 was only a minimum, not to be exceeded, and which, it was anticipated, would not be reached. How absurd is that reply! The Minister knows well that the country has been rendered bankrupt by continued increases on those farcical "estimates" and "minimums." What is "actual cost" but the cost at which the job runs out; and it always exceeds the contract price. The five per cent. "overhead charge" is probably put on before the work is commenced and added again on its completion. The whole business is bad. Nothing can purify it save a change of Government. The Minister agreed in this case to allow the private contractors six per cent on the deposit lodged with the tender and refund to them the amount they paid to exchange on their cheque. But that does not purge his action of its inequity15
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