LOCAL INDUSTRIES

Southland Times, Issue 20225, 9 July 1927, Page 11

LOCAL INDUSTRIES

SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC BODIES. The necessity of support for local industries by local bodies was the subject of a letter received by the Southland County Council at its meeting yesterday from the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce. The letter stated:— “Under instructions from the Chamber I am taking the liberty of drawing your attention to a matter which has been referred to the Chamber of Commerce. In doing this I would like to point out that it is not the intention of the Chamber to interfere in the affairs of other local or municipal bodies. As you are aware the position with some of the local manufacturers is that they are having difficulty in keeping their staffs employed owing to the scarcity of business. You will agree with me that under the circumstances it is highly desirable to place orders with the local firms when they are in a position to supply satisfactory articles at a competitive price. Such a course would assist to curtail unemployment and this is desirable in the best interests of the whole community. I trust that this view will be aceptable to you and sufficient reason for my writing. “I understand that recently there has been imported for a certain body two or more road graders and that it was done without giving any of the local manufacturers an opportunity of demonstrating their machines. Without in any way vouching for the correctness of the facts, we place before you the case as it was put before this chamber. It is as follows. “That a local engineering firm learning that a local body was considering the purchase of a petrol-driven road grader made several personal inquiries asking that they be given an opportunity of demonstrating their machines and submitting a competitive tender. They were told that the purchase of a machine was not contemplated in the meantime. When it was learned that an imported machine was given an opportunity of demonstrating, further inquiries were made with the same result. It was afterwards learnt that the imported machine was purchased without giving one of the local manufacturers the oportunity of demonstrating, which, it is maintained, the manufacturers were very anxious to do. “Other instances were given of the preference to imported machines but the details were not given as in the case outlined above. “As already indicated this Chamber is anxious to see local industries encouraged as far as is possible, and all things being equal, their manufacturers given preference, and would treat it as a favour if your council would give this view your favourable consideration and give your assurance that your policy in the future will be on the lines of preference to local manufacturers for the reasons outlined in my introductory remarks.” Various members spoke stating that the body referred to was not the Southland County whose policy it had always been to support local industries. It was decided to reply along these lines.