PRODUCE & MARKET REPORTS FROM DAY TO DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 141, 16 June 1932, Page 14

PRODUCE & MARKET REPORTS FROM DAY TO DAY

; EMPIRE FIRST

PREFERENTIAL PURCHASES

LONDON'S EXAMPLE

"Evening Post," 16th Juue.

The Empire Marketing Board reports! that'a clause stating that quotations for Empire produce must be made whenever possible has been added by 66 English ■borough councils and 36 county councils to their forms of tender, according to an inquiry just made. As a result 1250 institutions are now following the rule "Empire'ifirst" -whenever adequate supplies are available. This follows on visits recently made by the Empire Marketing Board's officers to 143 local authorities and 87 mental hospitals. The . London: County Council provides for over 100,000 patients and. staff and for the requirements of over 900,000 teachers, students, and children/ "It is. one of the largest bulk purchasers in the .world, and has given a preference to British goods for the past 25 years. The council is now finding it possible to buy a larger proportion of Empire goods than ever, before. Out of nearly 1,400,0001b of apples consumed, 1,100,000 were Empire. New; Zealand mutton and lamb is purchased to the amount of. 105,000 stone. Australian and New Zealand butter, East African coffee^ Australian beef, and South African fruit is also bought in large .quantities. ..." ' •

The London County Council and other local authorities have also adopted the. poh'cy of lising -Empire timbers whereverpossible. The Falnouth Harbour authorities recently, decided -to use Australian piles for a new wharf. This d&: cision was made after prolonged com-, parative trials with American ."greenheart." British Columbian timber is now being used' for harbour works at. Belfast,' Grimsby, Falmouth, and , Southampton, andifor housing schemes on many of the larger undertakings at, Coventry, .Liverpool^ Glasgow, and in London.- j r Empire timbers (mainly:. Canadiangrown Douglas fir) have been. exclusively) Tised in .45-out of 47 of the .major workis fbr.whicli 'the, London. County Council las tenders during ;tlie ..last twoyears. ■' .' ;