MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL PURCHASES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19802, 18 May 1934, Page 6

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL PURCHASES

To the Editor ol “ The Timaru Herald ” Sir, —I have been informed that the Mackenzie County Council have recently purchased an American motor car for their engineer. It seems to me to be high time that this sort of thing was stopped. Firstly ,the old car should have been good enough for at least a year or two yet, as it has not been in use for so very long. It seems anomalous that the Council’s employees should be provided with new vehicles, after two years or so, when the ratepayers who provide the where-

withal are mostly struggling to make a really old car stay on the roads a little longer. In any case even if the change were necessary, why an American car should be purchased puzzles me. The greatest proportion of the rates in the Mackenzie County must be contributed by people who depend on the English markets lor their income, and I consider it was the duty of the Council to show some consideration towards the source of its bread and butter. It is ridiculous to say that English cars would not be suitable. There are a number of English makes which would cost no more than the one purchased, and which would do the work as well if not better. There are dozens of comparisons that could be made, all of which are in favour of the English article, yet the fact remains that, in the heart of a producing area, a controlling body puts its money into American goods. It is a matter that should be pursued by the ratepayers, who should leave no stone unturned to prevent a further occurrence of a like nature. How can our farming community justly complain of bad treatment at the hands of the Mother Country, when they turn down the English manufacturers in this manner? It is now up to the Council to justify itself in the eyes of its ratepayers.—l am, etc., B. BRITISH.