Page 38 - KBHA Bulletin 10

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There was, however, a considerable delay between the completion of Contract One on
August 1941 and the commencement of Contract Two, which was the greater of the two

contracts. This related mainly to finance from the National Housing Board, and tenders
were called for on Contract Two only in January 1944. The Medical Officer of Health had

earlier requested that the number of flats, due to the inevitable increase in the number of

applicants, be increased by building blocks of three storeys instead of two. This was refused
by the City Engineer as a “gentleman’s agreement” had existed between the residents of

Kalk Bay and the Council that the flats were to be double-storeyed only, as a further storey
would affect the aesthetics of the development.

Contract Two was for 27 flats in four separate blocks of 8, 4, 7, and 8 units, with Number

One Block having a clinic in the basement and an out-building with two w-c’s and a

cloakroom. Previously, the weekly medical sessions by the Health Department were held in
a clinic in a day-school building, which was far from satisfactory. Mrs Cleghorn, Hon.

Secretary of the District Nursing Organisation (Lakeside-Kommetjie Branch), had

requested on 14 October 1940 that a clinic be constructed with the Fishermen’s Flats
complex. She proposed the use of two rooms in a flat in Harbour Road for the District

Nurse working in that area. The Medical Officer of Health endorsed this proposal
increasing the number of rooms to three. The clinic was then included, at a cost of £1,200,

in a basement of one of the blocks.

Tenders for Contract Two, which were to include the electrical work, were received on 21

January 1944. The 27 flats consisted of 19 2-bedroomed flats, 4 3-bedroom and 4 1-
bedroomed flats. The Council was pleased when the previous contractors, Reid and

Knuckey, submitted the lowest of the eight tenders. The price was £20,485-11-0d. The
second lowest tenderer was Miller Brothers at £21,159-2-6d. What transpired thereafter

will never be known, but the Council asked Reid and Knuckey to hold their tender open
until 8 February 1944 and, inexplicably, they refused. Miller Brothers heard of this and

approached Council indicating that they would not only hold their price open to 8 February