BOROUGH COUNCIL’S PROTEST

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22919, 16 January 1940, Page 8

BOROUGH COUNCIL’S PROTEST

PERMIT TO IMPORT IRON PIPES REFUSED NEW ZEALAND TENDER 100 PER CENT. HIGHER [From Our Own Reporter] TIMARU, January 15. A decision to protest against the action of the Government in compelling the council to purchase New Zea-land-made metal pipes at 100 per cent, more than imported pipes, was made at a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council to-night. Cr. W. H. Hall said that the tenders received for 18-inch cast-iron pipes for the repair of a sewer at Smithfield were more than 100 per cent- above those previously received long before the war, and for which a permit to import was denied to the tenderer although the council pressed the urgency of the work and received the support of the Health Department. No decision could .be made till a short time ago, when he said, the council was told that it would have to take locally-made pipes. The effect was that New Zealand foundries had been pressed to tender for work they did not want. Their tender was more than 100 per cent, greater for inferior pipe in 6ft instead of 12ft lengths. On the motion of Cr. H. J. Mathers it was decided to protest against the action of the Government in compelling the council to purchase New Zea-land-made pipes at more than 100 per cent, greater cost than would be paid for the imported pipes, the more so since the imported pipes would be of spun metal and in longer lengths.