A QUESTION OF BRICKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 487, 21 April 1909, Page 8

A QUESTION OF BRICKS.

'?■' IMPORTATIONS FROM SYDNEY OBJECTED TO. PRISON-MADE BRICKS FOR G.P.O. Tho following correspondence explains itself :— ' i'- 56 Thompson Street, March 21, 1909, _ Sir, —At the present time the'brickmakmgindMwy.m Wellington is in a state of partial collapse.. .. Hands are being discharged everywhere. I. understand a quantity of pressed bricks will shortly be imported from Sydney for : local requirements. As . these bricks can be made in Wellington, will tho. Government put such duty-on the imported article as will enable local manufacturers to compete? . I have also heard that the addition to tho nei j °ffi ce is- to be completed with bricks made by prison labour. . If this is so, under the_ circumstances will be Government waive their rights-and buy locally?—I am, etc.,. R. A. WRIGHT. Hon. A. W. Hogg Minister for Customs. Office of the Minister of Labour, Wellington, March 23, 1909. Dear Sir, —Your letter of the 21st instant to hand with reference to the position.of brickmaking industry ik; Wellington, and I regret to hear of -its condition.' ' In reply, I have to inform you _ that ,tho question of using prison-make bricks ; has been referred to ttbe Minister for Public Works. ■ ._ If the importation of bricks referred to from Sydney for local requirements.actually j takes placo, the matter will have, serious consideration. ; '.'\ : 'V . '■ I am,'. ' v ■ Yours .faithfully, : ' ; / r. a. w. hogg. R. A. Wright, Esq., M.P., .56 Thompson Street, Wellington. . Public Works Department, Wellington, New Zealand, April 19, 1909. Sir, —Tho Hon. the Minister for Customs has referred to.me.the latter.p6rtion'of,.yom ; . letter of 21st ultimo, in which-yau urge that' the bricks required for tho erection 1 of' tho' new Qeneral Post Office should be purchased from local'manufacturers,-.and.;in: reply:. I. have tho honour to state that the' spccifica---tion relating to the proposed building provides that tho Government will supply the bricks, and it is intended to obtain them from Mount Cook, where there is a large stock of excellent bricks on hand. It .has been tho custom for some years past to mako uso of bricks from' this sourco in the erection of Government buildings in Wellington, and, in view of the increased expenditure which would be involved if other bricks, are used, I regret that I am' unable to see, my way to authorise any departure'from this custom in the present instance.

I have the honour to be, Sir, ' ' ■Your obedient 'servant, .

11. M'KENZIE, " Minister for Public Works. R. A. Wright; Esq., M.P., Wellington. '. ; ,