MANUFACTURE OF METERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21086, 10 February 1934, Page 7

MANUFACTURE OF METERS

EVIDENCE FOR TARIFF COMMISSION ASSOCIATION TELZGHAM.) WELLINGTON, February 9. I A further special sitting of the Customs Tariff Commission was held to hear evidence in rebuttal of statements made on behalf of British manufacturers at the previous special session. Evidence was given by Mr H. C. Hibberd, representing Hibberd, Son, and Burnes, Ltd., manufacturers of gas meters in Wellington. Mr Hibberd referred to a statement by a British manufacturer to the effect that the Dominion market received great benefit from the research, experimental work, and experience of their factories at home. His New Zealand firm had introduced all the recent improvements, which had merely been imitated and followed by the British manufacturers. The United Kingdom manufacturers had only just commenced to market the high capacity meter similar to his firm's. Therefore it was actually leading the way and was three years ahead of its competitors. A statement was made to the effect that all the latest improvements brought out from time to time in Great Britain were embodied in the meters the firm marketed in the Dominion; and yet Parkinson and Cowans had not, up to the present, placed on the market in New Zealand a cast-iron high capacity meter with such a flexible output as regards capacity, etc.. as his own. In the case of Alder and Mackays, they had only just commenced to market the cast-iron high capacity meter in competition with his firm.

Another statement by the British representative was that the imposition of a tariff on gas meters would injure the gas industry and raise prices to the user. He definitely stated that should the New Zealand industry receive protection, the gas undertakings would derive considerable benefits, as the increased production would result, in more economic ma"ufacture and would have the effect of bringing down prices. The firm was fully prepared to enter into an arrangement with the gas companies to this effect.