PURCHASE OP STORES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 14

PURCHASE OP STORES.

THE DEPARTMENTAL BOARD, SUM OF £4,690,569 EXPENDED. STANDARDISATION IN PROGRESS, [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTEE-] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The annual report of the Stores Control Board presented to Parliament to-day states that during the year ended March 31 last the total expenditure on stores amounted to the sum of £4,690,569. With the exception of a few instances in which the requirements were too urgent to allow !of the usual procedure being followed tenders oi; quotations were invited for the whole of the stores required. For the requisitioning departments 11,196 requisitions were dealt with and 448 contracts were arranged for daily supplies, mostly perishable foodstuffs. These figures do not include the requisitions and contracts dealt with by the three purchasing departments (Railways, Public Works and Post and Telegraphs) on account of their own de» I partrnents. General contracts covering the requirements of. all departments were arranged on favourable terms for the supply of numerous articles. The special committee appointed to consider the standardisation of stores required by all Government departments has completed its work. All stores have been classified under suitable headings and specifications have been prepared. As soon as tho printed schedules are available tenders will be invited for supply for a definite period, which may vary according to the different classes to from one to three years. When complete the contracts will relieve the purchasing officers of a large proportion of their present duties, as departments, instead of submitting requisitions, will place their orders direct with the contractors. The policy of preference t0...10cal and British industries has been continued and appreciation of the policy has been expresed by many firms and commercial organisations. There is no doubt that the board's policy in this respect has been of great assistance to both local and British manufacturers. TAXATION POLICY. DEFENCE BY MINISTER. " CONSTANT WATCH KEPT," 1 1 11Jl ,; '0 ." , [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. Replying to the debate on taxation the Minister of Finance, Hon, W." Downio Stewart, said that during wartime taxation was heaped on tho wealthy people, and When remissions wero made the Government was only giving back to the people what belonged to them, because it had previously taken it from them in necessitous circumstances. Ho admitted the time might he ripe for a revision of taxation as it might be with any system of taxation, but tho Government wa£ constantly watching it to keep it in harmony with public requirements. For instance, they had imposed an additional 50 per cent, on all landowners who did not use their land to full benefit. They had .reconstructed the debenture tax. They had reimposed the tax on . pastoral tenants ajjd had granted concessions to tax payers on the basis of the size of their families. They had in this way* kept abreast of the times until they were ready' to place a revision Of the whole system before the House next year*. FATE OF PETITIONS. COMMITTEE'S DECISIONS, KING COUNTRY AND LIQUOR. [BY T^LEQRAPH.-—SPECIAL REPORTER.) WELLINGTON. Thursday. Tho Petitions Committee has no recommendation to make on the petition of inhabitants of the King Country asking for legislation granting the right to vote on the subject of license or no-license as a question of policy is involved. The cbramitteo recommend to the Government for favourable consideration tho petition of J, J.Meikle, now of Auckland, asking for further compensation for alleged wrongful imprisonment. ) Latoly the House received two petitions, oua from G. O'Halloran, chairman of the Waltemuta County Council, and 370 others, and another from J. M. West, of Glen Eden, and 27 others, praying that legislation be passed making • the Auckland City Council's waterworks rpserves in tho Waitakore Hangas liable for county rates. The committee reporting on. both petitions to-day stated that it had 110 recommendations to make. Respecting the petition of H. R. Willis, of Auckland, asking for the. cancellation of an order taking from him the guardianship of his child, who,. •is ; now < in the care of the Education Department, tho public Petitions Committee reported that it had no recommendation to make. With regard to tho petition of Alice Walding, of Auckland, asking for the cancellation of an order committing her daughter to a receiving home, tho committee recommended that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration and inquiry. AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. SITE ADJAOENT TO RIVER. 'NO DANGER OF FLOODING. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. In tho HouSe of Representatives to-day tho member for Palmerston, Mr. J. A. Nash, asked tho Minister of Agriculture, Hon. O. J. Hawken, if he would make a statement respecting allegations that the recently acquired site for the central agricultural college had been inundated with wirter during the recent floods. Ono of the former owners had said that the land had not boon flooded on this or on previous occasions by the Manawatu River. The Minister said ho had had a report from one of his officers, who informed him that no area of any consequence had been flooded. There had been about seven acres under water and this had been caused by the banking up of a creek which ran into the Manawatu; River in another portion. A small area had been under water from a second creek, but there had been no flooding by the river and .the ground had not been affected.