MONEY OR PRINCIPLE

Evening Star, Issue 15928, 7 October 1915, Page 1

MONEY OR PRINCIPLE

A GERMAN COMPANY. DISCUSSION IN THE CITY COUNCIL. At the conclusion, of the business at last nigilt’s meeting o£ the City Council the question of “trading with the enemy” came up for a good deal of discussion. It ■arose through the suspension of the standing orders so as to enable Or Shacklock, chairman of the Electric Power Committee, to reopen the question of repairing a traction battery. .Cr Shacklock moved—“ That the resolution of September 8 regarding the tender for a Tpdor battery he rescinded, and the tender of Messrs Turnbull and Jones of £lB2 7s for the same be accepted.” He said that as a result of the council’s decision the engineer immediately on his return from the north went into the matter of spare parts for the Tudor battery. The tender then was for £165. He (the speaker) had stated then that if the tender was rejected it would cost the council £SOO to replace the positive and negative plates. He was guessing in saying . so. The engineer now stated that it would cost £975 to replace these plates. Since the tender was before them the price had advanced 10 per cent., and advices from Manchester said there was every likelihood of an advance of another 10 per cent. These plates were made in Eng land. The company controlling their manufacture was a German company, hut at the outbreak of the war the British Government had appointed a receiver to look after its affairs. It might he said that the profits after the war would go to Germany. He did not know whether that would he so or not. These plates were daily being bought by the British Wax Department for use in submarines, and so far as the Government were concerned these articles were looked upon ns a British product. If the council reaffirmed their previous decision they would be forced to spend £I,OOO in reinstating the whole of the plates at present in the battery. Cr Lunn seconded.

The Mayor explained that at the previous meeting Cr Shacklock had to make an estimate on the spur of the moment, and this had proved on investigation to he wrong. As Gr Cole had said on that occasion, it was a question of money or principle. This company were practically entirely owned by Germans, and he thought the council ought to adhere to their previous decision.

Cr Sinclair said there was no getting away from the fact- that this -was-a-German company. It was reeking with Germanism. and +hcy wanted to kill it absolutely. Thev ought to give the British manufactures a chance, even if it cost 600 or 500 per cent. more. How were these plates produced so cheaply? Because the Germans were trying to cut prices. . .

Cr Wilson said he wo;., ; reverse Lis previous vote and now support the committee. British workmen were doing the work, and the ccmpany had been taken control of for the use of the British Empire.

■ Cr Black supported the previous decision of the council. In keeping with true British traditions they had a right to support onlv British manufactured articles, even if they cost £I,OOO, or even £IOO,OOO. This had been a dumping ground for years for German goods, and had the Germans been a little'more’cunning they would not have gone to war for years, when they would have had the trade of the world at their feet. There were German goods being sold in Dunedin to-day, and the Germans were trading with people in Dunedin to-day.

A Voice; Who with? Cr Black: You will find out soon. Continuing, he said we had got to the position when we would have to crush the Germans, no matter in what form, but the silver bullet would be the most- effective way. H© thought they had a chance of making a start, and they should seize it with both hands. Cr Taverner said to he consistent he would vote as he did when the matter was last before the council.

Cr 'Scott supported the chairman of the committee, and said if he could get material of German manufacture with which to beat Germans he would have no compunction whatever in using it. If this means would tend to efficiency, they would be right in using them. The council had no right to throw away £I,OOO, and they had a right, if they could, to make gain by utilising this material, and were justified in so doing. Cr Carroll supported the motion. The expenditure of £IBO in the direction indicated by the chairman would in the circumstances not make any difference to the Germans, hut would be to the benefit of the City.

Cr Green supported the former resolution, and said they should go to a British firm to get any article, required, no matter what it cost. They should consider the Empire of which they formed a. part. t'r Douglas said that if by purchasing this material they were not benefiting the enemy, which they would not be doing, and if it would be of benefit to the citizens of Dunedin, (bey would be justified in doing so. In addition they would be saving £BOO or £9OO. Cr i White said this was a serious question, not only to the council, but also to the citizens. He was a New Zealander, and whether the British Government utilised German plates for the construction of their submarines did not matter to him. He was not in favor of securing German plates for the batteries. When these were -worn out he supposed further German plates would be purchased. He opined that they should have British plates after these were done, and why not have them now? They could have had a reliable opinion from the High Commissioner if they had so desired, just by cabling. If the British Government had the right to take over a German concern, he. as a New Zealander and a city councillor, did not think the council should fall into line with anything which would be of benefit to the enemy. If the resolu tion were carried he would take steps to see that the previous resolution of the council was adhered to.

Cr Shacklock, in replying, said ho was not going to find fault with the councillors who could not see their way clear to vote with the wish of the committee. Cr Sinclair had spoken of the very low cost of the Tudor plates. That was not the question, at all. The reason that they would have to spend £I,OOO on the British Fifties was that they would have to replace the whole of the plates, but with the £lB2 they woqld only replace the plates where necessary. In following the British Government they would be following a good lead.

The motion was carried, the voting being: For—Ors Carroll, Lunn, Hancock, Wilson, Shacklock, Begg. Scott, and' Douglas. Against—Crs Sinclair, Taverner, Black, Green, and White. Cr White then gave notice of motion to have the council’s decision rescinded.