PUBLIC WORKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 40, 26 November 1937, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS

AMERICAN MACHINERY USED. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 25. 111 the House of Representatives today, discussing the vote of £I,ISO,UDL) for the maintenance of public works and services, Mr J. Hargest (National, Awarua) drew attention to the apparent preference which was being given to Messrs Gough, Gough and Hamer in the remission of import duties on certain American types of machinery suitable for publicworks lor which that firm was agent. He stated that he was not making any charges against the Minister, but lie wanted the matter cleared lip. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), replying, said that no special preference had been given to the company in question. All the machines the Government had purchased had been tendered for. Referring to the demonstration of American machinery which had taken place at Rongotai, Mr Semple said that this had been made entirely at the expense of the company concerned. Other companies had had the opportunity of giving similar demonstrations, but none had offered to do so, with the exception of one individual who demonstrated scoop invented by himself. The Minister proceeded to deal with the necessity for, and purchase of, machinery for facilitating public works since the present Government had come into office. He instanced the enormous savings in time, labour and money which had been effected by the use of suitable machinery for such work as the, Central Otago irrigation scheme. He stated that the only regret he had in the matter of the purchase of machinery was that they were forced to buy it from America because it was not manufactured in Britain. He said he knew all sorts of rumours regarding the purchse of machinery had been circulated, but he did think they would be able to show that they had saved the country hundreds of thousands of pounds as a result of the work of this machinery. Although he was entitled, as Minister, to preside at meetings of the Tenders Board, he had never done so. All purchases had been left to the engineers. Mr Hargest said that the Minister had made a statement to the Press that the cost of the new machinery was £712,000. He noticed a sum of £200,000 in the consolidated estimates, and he asked the Minister for full particulars. The Minister replied that in addition to the sums provided on the estimates under discussion, the other items would be included in the Supplementary Estimates. Mr H. S. ( S. Kyle (National, Riccarton) asked if the Government paid Customs duty on the machinery it imported. Mr Semple: We do not pay Customs duty. Mr Hargest asked the Minister of Customs if everyone importing machines of a similar type to those imported by the Public Works Department into the country, for instance, local bodies and private individuals, would receive similar Customs concessions to those granted to the Crown under an Order-in-Council. The Minister of Customs (the Hon. W. Nash), in reply, outlined the procedure under which Customs concessions were granted for the* importation of certain machinery. If this machinery could not be manufactured in the Dominion, then it must be manufactured in Britain or some British country. If it were not available in British countries, the* Minister of Customs might allow it to come into the Dominion under the same conditions as if it had come from a British country. When making application for preference for the importation of such machinery the importer was required to prove that similar machinery was not manufactured in a British country, and a searching investigation was held into the matter. Anyone who wished to import like typos of machines of equal utility and quality could do so and be granted similar privileges. If the type of machine, however, were afterwards manufactured in British territory, then the concession on machines of foreign manufacture would be revoked. Mr Nash added that the HOll. Mark Fagan, who had been acting-Minister of Customs at the* time the Public Works machinery had been imported, had made a most thorough investigation into the whole question and lie thought that they could rest assured that the interests of British manufacturers had not been overlooked. Mr Hargest: If a certain machine of the same type as that covered by the Customs privileges, but manufactured by another firm, is imported, does it enjoy those* privileges ? . Mr Nash: Yes. It is the article that gets the right, not any particular firm. The voto was passed.