MACHINERY FOR PUBLIC WORKS

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 13

MACHINERY FOR PUBLIC WORKS

BOUGHT IN NEW ZEALAND WHERE POSSIBLE WONDERFUL AMERICAN TYPES [Pke United Pkess Association.] . AUCavLAND, July 5. “ When acquiring machinery and other gear the Public Works Department has adopted a policy that it.will purchase in New Zealand all that is suitable for its purpose,” declared the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. “ After that it will give preference to such materials of English manufacture a« are suitable, billowing which it will buy the best that is required from overseas markets.” The Minister said the department was already buying graders made in New Zealand, although the engines were imported. The railway workshops in Wellington were also supplying picks and other tools made from old rails. When buying plant in New Zealand it was possible that tho prices might sometimes be a little dearer than those ruling on the overseas markets, but it was considered it 'was better to spend the money in New Zealand because it gave employment to New Zealand labour and contributed to teaching New Zealanders valuable trades. Those factors compensated for any slightly higher cost. “ But make no mistake.” added Mr •Semple, “we are not going to allow ourselves to he victimised.” We have our experts and can estimate the cost of manufacture just as easily as the firms producing the goods. “It will' lie necessary for the Public Works Department to buy new machinery for road and railway construction, and we are determined to get the very best that the world produces. The manufacturers of the United States are making bulldozers and elevating graders that are simply wonderful, and if they are as good as the makers claim their use will result in nothing less than a revolution in construction work in New Zealand.” Mr Semple said he was satisfied that the United States was producing the best type of machine for our use, but he diet not intend to buy a “pig in a poke.” He had therefore arranged for one of the manufacturing firms to give a demonstration of its machines in Wellington within the next three weeks. The company was bringing the machines to New Zealand at its own expense, and’ the Wellington City Council had set aside a piece of ground at Rongotai for the purposes of the demonstration'. If the machines were of the right type there was no doubt the Government would buy a number, but it was not committed. The Government had to consider very seriously the question of irrigation in New, Zealand, said Mr Semple, and ditching machines would 1 also he seen in the demonstration which would take place in the presence of all persons interested. particularly members of the engineering profession and of tho Press.