ARAPUNI CONTRACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 170, 19 July 1924, Page 11

ARAPUNI CONTRACT.

QUESTION OF SWEDISH PLANT. BRITISH MANtIFACTUBERS' PROTEST. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. The secretary of the New Zealand Association of British manufacturers has written to the Press denying the suggestion cabled from England that the Armstrong, Whitworth Company, the successful tenderers for the big Arapuni contract, have no alternative but to assign a portion of the manufacure to Sweden, as British firms were not catering for this particular branch of high power electrical plant. "This association," states .he secretary, "desires to say that such a statement can be given a flat denial, for at least four British manufacturers who are represented here actually tendered for the plant required, guaranteeing, under penalty, to supply satisfactory machinery, and their machinery, if accepted, would have been wholly manufactured by British labour and capital. All the' British firms referred to who tendered have already turned out machinery of a comparable size to that required for Arapuni. It is a poor outlook for the British manufacturer if the heads of our Government departments are going to strongly recommend foreign goods when Britain is undeniably manufacturing similar goods. Arguments in favour of buying British goods in preference to foreign goods are many, but we would like to refer particularly to the saving tn be effected through the Trades Facilities Act. which remits three-quarters of the interest for live years on any money borrowed by a Dominion in London for a special undertiikina-, providing the whole of the plant for that undertaking is purchased from Great Britain.