IMPORTED ENGINES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2386, 16 February 1915, Page 8

IMPORTED ENGINES

OENTEAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIEWS. The snbjeefc of tha iinportation of railway engines from the "united States was brought before the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce yesterday by a letter from Mr. W. J. Gandin, protesting against the Government's action.' Hs asked the Chamber to enter an emphatic protest ako. Mr. J. Reed moved that the protest be upheld, and sent on to the Government. His own experience led him to believe that the excuses made for the placing of tbe order in, America were not tenable. He lenew that for tho last ten or twelve years this country had been chronically short of locomotives. The Government could not now say.that they suddenly found themselves short of engines, for they had been short of engine-power for many years. The Government were not therefore entitled to be excused, on the plea of urgency, for placing the order with American firms.

Mr. J. Brodie said that although , tho British engines cost £1600 more, they Would probably prove to be worth the money. He did'not think the Government should have refused the British tenders on this ground.

Mr. R. Hall said he did not think the present Government was blameable for the present condition of things, but he would blame the present Government if this state of things were to recur. It had, been known for many years ihat we were short of engines, and that our engines were not sufficient to cope vrith the work of the railways. In future, if proper,provision was made it should not be necessary to go outside the Dominion for our locomotives. The present Government found themselves urgently in need of engines; and had to get tbem from somewhere, but the Government should take steps now to see • that the necessity for importing from Britain or elsewhere should never , again arise. It had been shown that every engineering firm in New Zealand capable of naking locomotives was fully occupied for tho next' two years.

Mr. A. Leigh Hnnt endorsed Mr. Hall's opinions. It had been long; t.ellknown that the Now Zealand railways were not in a proper Btate of efficiency, and the present Government had engaged a general manager from England. Mr Hiley had taken some time to "get iine bang of things," and bad brnaght down proposals involving an wponiiture of £3,200,000. That scheme went by the board when tho war broke out, but it was quite-likely'that Mr. Hiley made tbe strongest representations to the Government to . get the engines as speedily as possible. ! He (Mr. Hunt) was quite sure that the Government had not been swayed by consideration of the lower price in placing the order in America. "I think,' he said, "we might on this occasion bear with the Government, recognising that thoy have had a very trying timo to go through. I can't bring myself to believe that they would deliberately and without perfect justification take trade away from Great Britain. .

Mr. Reed asked leave to withdraw his motion.

Mr. J. F. Atkins said he was not anxious to blame the present Government or the present General Man.iger, but it was evident that a state of affairs had been allowed to ■ come about which was disgraceful to those responsible. For this reason he wished to lecord a protest. Mr. G. Winder also thought the motion should be allowed to stand, and Mr, Re id agreed not to withdraw it. The motion was carried.