SOAP IN SLEEPING CARS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 113, 9 November 1910, Page 3

SOAP IN SLEEPING CARS.

"MADE IN ENGLAND." COMPLAINT BY INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION. A symposium on soaps developed out of a matter placed before the Industrial Association last evening. Mr. A. S. Biss wrote drawing attention to the fact that in the sleeping-cars on the North Island Main Trunk railway they were using soap branded "Made in England." "It does not seem right," continued Mr. Biss,"' that a Government that professes to encourage local industries should go to England for an article of" every-day consumption that can just as well be made in New Zealand. Tablet soaps made in Du'nediu are quite equal to anything imported from England. Tourists and ethers passing through the Dominion would naturally expect to find from an iucident of this sort that we are unable to manufacture toilet soap for ourselves. The matter was brought before the Minister of Railways by the secretary of tke association. Mr. Millar replied that a "small trial order only was placed for the soap of British manufacture, to which attention was • called principally for the sake of testing th© perforated brand. He understood that the Railway Department was not only aware of the position of a Dunedin firm as manufacturers of soaps in the Dominion, but for the last three years had obtained from that firm the soap and candles required by it for general use. "You may rest assured," concluded the Minister, "that preference will be given to Dominion manufacturers to the exclusion oE imported soaps." The president, (Mr. E. Bull) suggested that the tariff made the price of locally-made soap rather high, and the Government was getting a cheaper article. It was tho old story of the Government • buying in the cheapest market, and not caring a hang for the industries of the Dominion Mr. Crease volunteered' tho explanation that the quality of the soap in the sleeping-cars was such that people would not care to carry it away. (Laughter.) The Dunedin firm, under whose notice the indefatigable secretary had brought the correspondence, wrote thanking the association for its intervention.