EQUALITY OF TREATMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1933, Page 9

EQUALITY OF TREATMENT

GAS AND ELECTRIC HEATING COMPARISON OF THE TARIFFS. REQUEST TO THE COMMISSION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Aug. 14. Equality of treatment for the gas and electricity industries was sought by Mr. James Lowe, general manager of the Auckland Gas Company, before the Tariff Commission. He said that the specific duties to which his company objected were those of 25 per cent, on gas rings etc., 10 per cent, on gas engines and 20 per cent, bn cast-iron pipes. He asked that these items be treated in the 'same manner as similar electric appliances. The. duty on electric ranges was 20 per cent and electrical motors were free, and he asked that the duty on gas engines be abolished. He also urged that a duty of at least 2d per gallon be imposed on crude oil importations, which, he said, were affecting coal, coke and gas. The industry was being squeezed between State-aided electricity on the one hand and free imports of crude oil bn the other.

Professor Murphy commented that the three major companies were showing quite good profits. Witness replied that that was due to good management. Their rate of expansion was being slowed down. In reply to Dr. G. • Craig (chairman) witness said that there was not much danger of the gas industry being held up by strikes.