CEMENT FOR STREETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 277, 23 November 1927, Page 4

CEMENT FOR STREETS.

IMPORTED V. NEW ZEALAND.

THE PRICE QUESTION.

Observations made by the Christchurch city engineer (Mr. A. R. Galbraith) concerning the relative cost of New Zealand and imported cement for road-making which appeared in the "Press" recently, wers brought under the notice of Mr. Wilson (N.Z.), Portland Cement Company, by Mr. J. W. Collins, secretary of Industries and Commerce. Mr. S. Reid, general manager of the company, commented at some length on Mr. Galbraith's statement, and a copy of his letter was forwarded by Mr. Collins to the Mayor (Mr. J. K. so that the company's representations may receive the consideration they deserve if and when the City Council decides on its road policy.

Mr. Reid states that- Mr. Galbraith is quite correct in saying that the lowest quotation he could obtain for New Zealand cement wa £6 per ton, but he (Mr. Reid) would not say that this actually would be charged if it is really intended to Jay down certain streets in Christchurch in concrete, and to call tenders for the work. It was not desirable to quote a reduction in price for a job that might, or might not be carried out.

New Zealand .cement, says Mr. Raid, will always cost more to manufacture so long as the rates of wages are so much above those paid to English workmen; in addition, many raw materials (coal, jute, gypeum, etc.) necessarily cost much more than in England.

Taking Mr. Qalbraith's price for English cement at £2 6/, Mr. Reid showed that its cost, c.i.f., ships slings, with duty and primage, main ports, New Zealand, would be £5 7/1; freight being estimated at £2 per ton. Other charges, exchange, landing and storage charges would have to be added. In the case of Christchurch, the cement would cost 11/ per ton for railage from Lyttelton, and cartage to the job in the city—this without the addition of exchange, landing, and storage charges. Public bodies, including the Public Works Department and Harbour Boards, estimate that cement in casks costs from 2/ to 5/ per ton more to handle that in sacks.

Owing to an accident at their works, the company imported 2000 tone of English cement this year. The price was higher than the £2 6/ quoted by Mr. Galbraith. In competition in Wellington and Christchurch with its own brand of cement, the company lost £2309 on the transaction.

In his reply, Mr. Galbraith said:—"The price quoted by-me is not the dumping one, but the ordinary market price ruling for all consumers o| 80 ton parcels of cement, and offered "ex railway, London goods yards. The estimated cost of English cement. delivered main ports New Zealand, and on jobs, New Zealand, as stated by Mr. Reid, is, in my opinion, 10 to 15 per cent too high, and for large quantities it is quite likely that special steamers could be chartered at reduced freights, say about 30/ per ton, or possibly lower. Concrete roads, as stated in the Highways Report, can be constructed of all New Zealand materials, but are handicapped by the excessive cost, £6 per ton for New Zealand cemeht, delivered on the jobs, a cost greater than any other large seaboard city in the Dominion, and other parts of Australasia."