MOTOR NUMBER-PLATES

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12251, 24 September 1925, Page 2

MOTOR NUMBER-PLATES

LOCAL MANUFACTURERS’ POSITION NEW ZEALAND TENDERS TOO HIGH. The dissatisfaction which has been current amongst New Zealand manufacturers at the placing of contracts for motor-car number-plates outside New Zealand, was ventilated yesterday at the annual conference of New Zealand manufacturers, which is being held in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute. Mr G. McNamara, First Assistant Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department, attended the conference to explain the department’s attitude."

Mr A. W. Parker said that the chief complaint of the manufacturers was that the tendens were not called sufficiently early to permit of New Zealand firms competing. The department had promised last year that tenders would be called in March, but instead of this they had allowed six months to go by. The result had been that local firms had had no time to make arrangements about the necessary machinery, a thing that could not be done until the specifications were known. Only five months were left in which to get out what machinery would have been necessary for the manufacture of several thousands of plates. Mr Parker complained further that last yehr the specifications had called for a 26 gauge iron in the plate, and instead of this a 24 gauge had been used, whilst the number of coats of paint had been below specification also. Mr McNamara said that in putting the case for the department it would be necessary to give a little bit of ancient history in order to show that the Government had not misled tlie industrialists in any way. Last year, owing to an oversight on the part of an official, the time in which they had to get tlie plates was very limited. In order to get the plates in time it was necessary to go overseas for them. This jenr it had been intended to coll tenders in ample time, but just at the time this was to have been done the controversy arose as to whether tlie plates should be permanent or temporary. The argument in favour ot' the temporary plates was, ho stated, that it enabled the officers to tell at a glance whether the yearly license had been taken out or not, whilst otherwise an impossible system of sticking up motorists and asking them to show their licenses would have to be adopted. In the present case the price of the plate was, although not the only consideration. one that could not be overlooked. Personally, he was in favour of having the plates manufactured in New Zealand if possible. He thought that in the case of American tenders, the contract price, plus 36 per cent, duty, landing charges, and 2-> per cent, preference duty, should be the basis of working out comparative prices. He had discussed this matter with the Minister for Internal Affairs, who had agreed as to the extra 25 per cent. (Applause.) This year tile Government had received quotations from Canada, Australia, England and New Zealand, and personally he could not sec they could accept the local tenders in view of the great, difference of price. The matter was before Cabinet at present, and nothing definite was known, but in all probability an outside tender would be accepted for this year only. Tlie next year tenders would bo brought out early enough to give New Zealand manufacturers amide time to tender.