DOMINION GOODS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22463, 6 July 1936, Page 8

DOMINION GOODS

FIRST PREFERENCE MACHINES AND PLANT I PUBLIC WORKS BUYING j ■ TESTS OF AMERICAN GEAR Si "When acquiring machinery an( j f; other gear the Public Works Depart, r* mei4 has adopted the policy that it 8 will purchase in New Zealand all that - is suitable for its purpose," said the I Minister of Public Works, the Hon. $ Semple, yesterday. "After that it wj|j f give preference to such materials of 1 English manufacture that are suitable J following which it will buy the best 1 that is required from overseas mar- I kets.'"

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 pi c k 8 and other tools made from old rails When buying plant in New Zealand it was possible that the 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 faotors compensated for any slightly higher cost. Will Not Be Victimised "But make no mistake," added Mr. Semple. "We sre not going to allow ourselves to be victimised. We have our own experts and can estimate the cost of manufacture just as easily as the firms producing the goods.

"It will be necessary for the Publio Works Department to buy neir machinery for road and railway construction and we are determined to get the very best that the world produces," said Mr. Semple. "The manufacturers in 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." Pending Tests in Wellington Mr. Semple said he was satisfied the United States was producing the best type of machine for New Zealand use, but he did not intend to buy a pig in a poke. He had' therefore arranged for one oi: the manufacturers to give a demonstration of 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 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 also be seen in the demonstration. He wanted the demonstration to take place in the presence of all persons interested, particularly members of the engineering profession and of the press.