WAIPORI TENDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18513, 25 March 1922, Page 9

WAIPORI TENDERS

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— My attention has been called to a letter in your issue of March 22, signed by Mr J. M. Abernethy, regarding British tenders for electrical plant. Even if I were disposed to do so, I cannot enter into any controversy regarding the subject of Mr Abernethy’s letter or his arguments against trading with the United Kingdom. I must object most strongly, however, to Mr Abernethy’s observations' regarding myself, which are. entirely unjustified. My visit to Dunedin last week had nothing whatever to do with the tenders for the Waipori plant, nor is there any justification for any of the other references to myself in his letter. I do not know Mr Abernethy at all, and I cannot imagine, therefore, why he should consider himself in a position to reflect my views or to explain my movements. With reference to the general tenor of Mr Abemethy’s letter and to his statement that no preference is given by the United Kingdom, may I point out that the United Kingdom in 1921 purchased 86.4 per cent, of the total exported produce of New Zealand, and that in so far as duties are levied in the United Kingdom on imported goods a preference of from 16 2-3 per cent, to SO per cent, is given to products of the Empire. May I also remind Mr Abernethy that price itself is by no means the only factor in business? Higher quality mav. and very frequently does, justify higher prices for British goods, not only within the Empire, but in most foreign countries. — I am, etc., R. W. Dalton, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner. Wellington, March 23.