INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17293, 3 November 1921, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.

ALLEGED TAMPERING WITH AN EXHIBIT. (special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, November 2. The chairman of the Board of Trade has received a letter from Mr W. J. Jenkin, president of the . Canterbury Industrial Association, in which he says:—"l have to report a very unpleasant thing which occurred at the exhibition in Wellington on Saturday, i'ou will remember that the Minister of Industries and Commerce, when visiting the Christchurch factories, examined the works of Mr Venables, nail manufacturer. Mr Venables has an exhibit near the room occupied by your Department. Some of the spaces in his case • were partly cleared of his nails, and imported nails put in . their place. This must have been a deliberate act from the fact that the imported nail was substituted, and the man who did it w.ould have had no other object that to either discredit the maker or tho goods he produces, arid this letter is sent on that you may have the opportunity of telling the Minister what has occurred and what tricks are being resorted to. Numbers of poor quality bent nails were placed in some of the spaces, obviously to prove what has been freely circulated from time_ to time—that tho New Zealand _ nail _is soft and inferior, which is entirely incorrect." . , The matter was enquired into on the spot yesterday morning by the Hon. E. P.- Lee, Minister of Industries and Commerce, who is. also Minister of Justice, and' action is being taken to prevent any further interference. with the exhibits. . . - . The • police are investigating ...the. tampering .with, the nails 'exhibit, ■