RAILWAY CONTRACTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1043, 6 August 1930, Page 11

RAILWAY CONTRACTS

LET TO OUTSIDE FIRMS MINISTER’S EXPLANATION TUE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The letting of a contract for the manufacture of springs for railwaywagons was the subject of a question today in the House of Representatives, when the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, explained that outside contracts were necessary, because the workshops could not cope with this particular class of work because of pressure of business. Mr. F. Langs tone (Labour —Waimarino). asked whether it were a fact that a contract for the supply of 1.000 springs had been let to an Australian firm. Was this right, when men were being dismissed from New Zealand railway -workshops? The Minister replied that no such contract had been let. but it was a fact that some work in this direction outside New Zealand Railways workshops had been found necessary. A considerable number of springs for certain construction work had been found necessary and contracts had been let to three New Zealand firms for 1,000 springs costing about £BOO. Th 1 firms were Nicholson Engineering Company (Auckland. 340 springs; R. B. Cook (Auckland), 340; and A. G. Price, Limited (Thames). 320. The section of the railway shops employed in making springs, said Mr. Veitch. wae already working overtime, and to make the springs in the shops would have taken too long and would have been too costly. Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour Christchurch South): Does that apply io wagon-wheels? Mr. Veitch said the same fact did not apply to wagon-wheels. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Labour —Manykau): Is it not a fact that you axe discharging blacksmiths? The Minister made no reply.