Limerick – The fortnightly meeting of the Limerick Harbour Board took place yesterday with the Mayor presiding. During the meeting, the board secretary read out a letter regarding a dispute over a coal tender. The letter, addressed to the board, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the tender process.

The letter from Pro. Mullock & Sons, signed by T. Herriott, acknowledged the receipt of the board’s communication and thanked them for bringing the matter to their attention. However, they disputed the board’s claim that the accepted tender was lower than their offer. They argued that based on the verbal information provided to them, their offer was rejected in favour of a contract that quoted a lower price per ton for both unscreened and screened coal. They expressed confusion regarding the board’s statement and the disparity between the accepted tender and their offer.

Regarding the specification requirements, Pro. Mullock & Sons contended that their tender met the necessary conditions. They emphasized that their submission outlined that the coals supplied would be of the highest quality and approved by the Harbour Engineer. They argued that these terms were binding and sufficient for practical purposes. They also questioned the practicality of identifying the specific colliery from which the coal was sourced when the majority of orders are delivered from storage, making it difficult to verify the origin.

Expressing their frustration, Pro. Mullock & Sons stated that, under the present circumstances, there seemed to be no point in tendering for coal supply to the board. They indicated that they would adopt the same stance as other coal merchants in the city who have chosen not to tender in the future.

The letter was acknowledged by the board as having been read, and the meeting moved on to other matters.

Limerick Echo – Tuesday 09 August 1904