NOT ACCEPTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 75, 30 March 1939, Page 19

NOT ACCEPTED.

GERMAN TENDER. SAVING OF £7000 IGNORED. HITLER'S COUPS UNPOPULAR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 24. Ostensibly because of the uncertainty of obtaining German deliveries, but possibly because of the anti-German feeling aroused by Hitler's latest coups in Europe, the Sydney County Council (electricity authority) decided to give Britain a contract for armoured cable valued at £30,.",01. although it had a German tender that was £72'J4 lower, 'he general manager hr.d recommended acceptance or the German tender, but "1 view or recent events in Europe withdrew that recommendation and "•coinmended tl.e lowest British tender in view of the uncertainty of gettiii" delivery of the Germans-able. In considering this contract." said -li. Cramer, "nobody can divorce his mind from the actions of Hitler, who wishes to benefit by the goodwill of and relationship with all nations, but is not prepared to play his part. 1» tact he is ready to destroy evervthing that other nations stand for. He breaks | Ins word, and will do anything/' Mr. Cramer went on to sav that America, by the imposition of a 25 per cent duty on German goods, had shown that she was going Hitler lealise the situation, and he believed that the democracies were now readv to accept Hitlers challenge. At this point the chairman. Mr. J arrv said; 'T do not intend to allow this chamber to be used for such statements. What America is doing and whether Britain is prepared to stand up to any enemy has got nothing to do with the business before this meeting." "Even Chance—No War." Mr Cramer replied that he was giving his reasons for voting for the tender. He believed there was an even chance that there would be no wai, the stand that the democracies were taking must show Hitler that he could not do some of the things he had been doing and go on abusing all human considerations. J lie chairman, banging his bell violently, again declared tiiat, he would not allow the discussion to continue. ! heir job. he said, was to sell cheap electricity, and he objected strongly to the introduction of political arguments. He supported the British tender because ot the uncertainty now of German deliveries, but added that British manufacturers never needed help as much as they did to-day. T deplore the introduction of irreevant facts," said Mr. Gardiner. uniy a few months ago the people of this country were hysterically cheerinan old gentleman for having saved the world from war. I cannot understand the change in mentality that wants to set up economic sanctions which can end in only one way, but the majority of Australians will endorse our action in accepting the British tender." Mr. Tressidder said that in normal times everyone would vote for the German tenderer to bring the British manufacturers to heel. "They have been charging exorbitant priced but ho one would dare to vote for a German tender now," he added.