PUBLIC SERVICE SUPPLIES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 141, 17 June 1919, Page 3

PUBLIC SERVICE SUPPLIES

SPECIFICATIONS CONSIDERED

UNREASONABLE

LOCAL MANUFACTURERS AT A DISADVANTAGE.

A matter of considerable moment to New Zealand manufacturers of iron and steel goods was opened at last night's meeting of the Wellington Industrial Association by the reading of a letter from the secretary of the Christchurch association, Mr. J. B. Laurenson, on the subject of tenders called for by the Public Service Supplies Board in Wellington. The letter referred in the main to iron articles, such as telegraph and telephone cup bolts of different patterns and other metal articles required in the establishing and upkeep of various public services, and was despatched to the Wellington association to voice the opinion of the Christchurch members, and to ask for support in the matter of having, if possible, some amendments made to tho present system of calling tenders, which were considered by the Christchurch association to place the New Zealand manufacturer at a decided disadvantage. Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Dnnedin and Auckland associations.

The letter set out six points which it was considered worked in favour of the outside manufacturer.

(1) The specifications insist that the bolts shall be of "best best" quality. Practically all iron imported into this country is, of "Crown" or "Crown best" quality. "Best best" iron is of a special quality, and is used in the United Kingdom for very special work

(2) The time given for the completion of the work is six months, and thus the importer, whose equipment is in many cases limited to a fountain pen and a catalogue, is in a position to compete with the man who employs hundreds of men and pays thousands of pounds per annum in wages.

(3) Tenders are for delivery, c.i.f., at Wellington, and the letter asked, why not Dunedin, Christchurch, or Auckland?

(4) Payment is made in cash against documents if inspected before, but, if inspected in New Zealand, is made within 21 days after receipt. (5) The local manufacturer pays duty on all raw material required, whereas the importer of the articles tendered for pays no duty at all. .

(6) The tenderer has to state whether the goods are of foreign manufacture, but the association maintains that all tenders for Public Service requirements, should be called on the same conditions as those required by the Board of Trade in London, that is, from those firms only whose names are on the Board of Trade list, to gain which the probity, loyalty, and nationality of the firm must be beyond question.

Mr. A. C. Mitchell, who had made injuries into the matter after the receipt of the letter, enlarged on the -several points made in the letter. "Best best" iron, he said, was probably seldom used in England for the manufacture of bolts and the like, and he doubted whether anyone ■• "short of a Solomon" could distinguish "crown best," if that quality were used in place of the specified iron, without resorting to a. laboratory break or test. On the other hand, were the articles manufactured in New Zealand, it would be a simple matter to keep a check on the quality of metal used. The New Zealand manufacturer was at a disadvantage in so far as waste was concerned. In England 10 per cent. or so of waste was melted down into bar iron, but in New Zealand the scrap was practically all waste.--' Again, the time limit of six months made it almost impossible for the raw material to be imported into the Dominion in time to allow of its being manufactured within the period allowed. As greater facilities for manufacture existed in England, it was probable that raw material and manufactured articles ordered at the same time would reach New Zealand at about the same time. He considered that Wellington should not be specifically named as the point of delivery, but that each centre should be .treated fairly. TIME-SAVING MACHINERY. The labour difficulty in New Zealand was another great obstacle in the way of the manufacture of such articles (continued Mr. Mitchell), and the position was made much more difficult by the absolute prohibition of machine-made bolts: in flic specifications. That prohibition was a most extraordinary one, coming as it did from' a Government which might reasonably be expected to encourage the introduction of time-saving machinery in order to reduce the cost of production. If the use of such machinery were'perl mitted in the manufacture of Public Service requirements New Zealand manufacturers could, and would, compete with the manufacturers overseas, but as it was the New Zealand manufacturer must pass such specifications by. In the case of bolt manufacture the power machine simply substituted an engine'and a belt for one man's leg power. Probably 95 per cent, of the imported bolts were machine-made.

The preeideht of the association, Mr. Mainland, spoke briefly of the conservatism which favoured the continuance of old methods and viewed labour-saving machinery with disfavour.

Mr.. Mitchell proposed that the Christchurch association should be informed that the members of the Wellington association were in full accord with them in the matter, and would lend full support in any action that might be taken. ' The motion was carried unanimously.