M.E.D. CRITICISED.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19451, 26 October 1928, Page 12

M.E.D. CRITICISED.

ITS TRADING ACTIVITIES. REPLY TO MANUFACTURERS. In response to the criticism of the Municipal Electricity Department at a meeting of the Manufacturers' Association on Wednesday evening .Or. P. W. Sharpe (chairman of the Electricity Committee of the City Council) has forwarded the following comments:— The trouble appears to arise from the fact that special interests wish to be given consideration in preference to general interests. However worthy of support may be the case of the one or two local manufacturers of electrical apparatus, the Department's duty is to endeavour to render the maximum service to the greatest number, and due consideration must be given to the 25,000 or so other ratepayers, as well as to the very small section interested in the local manufacture of electrical goods.

Regarding some of the other points raised by the Manufacturers' Association, the following comments are offered: (1) If, as stated by one of the speakers, the public looks to the M.E.D. for guidance in electrical matters, the M.E.D. should not, and will not, recommend to the public anything in which it has not complete confidence. Where locally-made goods can be recommended, they will be advocated as willingly and heartily as any others. (2) The Department already stocks and successfully sells locally manufactured goods, chiefly water-heaters and radiators, but the ultimato decision regarding the utility and attractiveness of electrical goods lies with the buying public. If for any or all of the considerations resulting from price, appearance, and utility,, the public prefer imported goods, and the M.E.D. tried to induce them to purchase locally manufactured g0035," the M.E.D. would share the fate of any other business that failed to study its customers. (3) The present policy o£ the M.E.D. is not determined solely by the officers nor the committee. The general policy has been evolved ais the business developed, and the present policy is quite -consistent with that' which has been followed in the past, namely, to do everything to develop the use of electricity, and ena"ble a consumer to purchase the best/ types of electrical apparatus at a reasonable price. The M.E.D. spends > annually many thousands of pounds, and almost all of that amount is expended on goods or work purchased by' local tender. If it were not for the M.E.D., the. local manufacturers of electrical, ap- v paratus might find 1 themselvps in , an even more difficult position. _ (4) The statement that as soon as enquiries were made by the. M.E.D. regarding the, approval of the position for electrical ovens i and ■ other apparatus, salesmen from the M.E.f). would call on the prospective customers of the local manufac- \ turerß and endeavour to jell an imported article,, is simply untrue. Extreme care is taken that the function, of the Department as a supply' authority shall not in any way be used to assist its function as tile selling agency for electrical goods. Great, stress' has , always been laid upon this \ point among the staff. .It is regretted that manufactursrs, disappointed through circumstances aver which, the M.E.D. has no. control, should allow themselves to lj>B led into making such unwarranted statements. Every manufacturer or electrical sontractor knows that he will receive a fair and impartial hearing for any complaint. he may .lodge with the •. M.E.D. [f, ' however,'. the • ■ manufacturers ; wish' ;he M.E.D. to abandon ordinary business methods, and give up reasonable foresight and acumen in .its trading, it is inevitable that they will be. disappointed, and, as a result, critical./ _ . As chairman of the Electricity Committee, I'feel confident that the! bulk >f the purchasing public .recognises the iervice being rendered by the Department, and that, the Committee and Counjil are as ready as the officers of; the Department to give to locally manufacr inred goods the fullest consideration ;hat. is compatible with the rendering )f proper service to the public#.