PURCHASE OF MOTORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20640, 12 August 1930, Page 10

PURCHASE OF MOTORS.

MR. FORBES' STATEMENT.

NO POLITICAL INFLUENCES. INSINUATION CONTRADICTED. DETAILS OF TRANSACTIONS. [by TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Monday. In rallying to the defence of Mr. Vincent Ward, the United Party candidate" in the Invercargill by-election, the Prime Minister, Hon. G. W. Forbes, issued a statement this evening to refute any suggestion that political influences operated in the purchase of motor vehicles by tlio Government.

"As a side issue in the Invercargill byelection campaign," said Mr. Porbes, an attempt is being made to divert public attention from the bigger issues raised by Mr. Ward, and to conccntrato upon personalities. While this tendency is reassuring to the United candidate, demonstrating that ho has put up an unassailable case on the national questions, the suggestions made regarding political influence operating in connection with the purchase of motor vehicles by tho State, justifies me in placing the facts before the public, not only in fairness to the firm with which Air. Ward is associated, but to clear public officials of a stigma which certain individuals are casting upon them. "I have obtained from the heads of the departments responsible for motor vehicle purchases, complete details of their transactions from January 1, 1923, until December 10, 1928, the period during which the Coatcs Government held office, and separately the purchases made from the latter date to August 8, 1930, during the term of office of the United Government. Previous Government's Dealings.

"From January, 1923, the mot-ors purchased from Messrs. Halrick and Company, the then agents for Overland Whippet and Armstrong Siddeley cars, and Thornycroft trucks, were as follows: 1923, 49 vehicles; 1924, 82 vehicles; 1925, 44 vehicles; 1926, 7 vehicles; 1927, 13 vehicles; 1928, to December 10, 7 vehicles. During this period the total number of all rnakos purchased was 1128, and the purchases from Messrs. Hatrick and Company included in this figure totalled 202 vehicles. From December 10, 1928, when the United Government assumed office, to August 8, 1930, the purchases from the reconstructed company which handles these types of motors totalled 69, while the total purchases from all sources was 546.

"The entry of the Railway Department into the road transport business almost coincided with the last change of Government. Consequently there were some extensive purchases by this department of motor omnibus chassis from the period January, 1929, until September, 1929, inclusive. Many of these purchases had to be made promptly from stocks available in New Zealand, as it was imperative to maintain the motor fleets taken over from private undertakings, some of which were in a depreciated condition. "In January, 1929, public tenders were called by the Railway Department for 10 chassis, and the Thornycroft agents, the Canadian Knight and Whippet Company, being the lowest tenderers, secured the contract. In February, 1929, three more vehicles were so urgently required that they were bought from New Zealand stocks by private negotiation, and the order did not go to the Canadian Knight and Whippet Company. Purchases By Tender.

In September, 1929, public tenders were called for ten motor omnibuses and the lowest price was quoted by the Canadian Knight and Whippet Company for its Thornycroft chassis. However, this company only secured half the order, five of the required number being bought from a firm which quoted a higher price for another British made chassis with a slight advantage in seating accommodation. The Railway Department, desiring to make important tests regarding tho economic possibilities of the six-wheeled type of chassis, purchased a Thornycroft of that specification at a price substantially less than the current quotation. "These purchases by the Railway Department are included in the detailed figures given earlier, which demonstrate that during the term of tho Coates Government the predecessors of the Canadian Knight and Whippet Company supplied 17.9 per cent, of the Government's total requirements in motor vehicles, but that during tho United Government's term of oflice, the Canadian Knight and Whippet Company's proportion of the business dropped to 12.6 per cent. This is a striking contradiction of the insinuation made in certain quarters that political preference has entered into State dealings in motor vehicles."