CEMENT COMMISSION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16573, 4 November 1921, Page 8

CEMENT COMMISSION.

MR M’OONALD’S EVIDENCE, (Per Puess Association.) WELLINGTON, November 4. Tho cement inquiry was resumed today. , Examined by the Solicitor-General, Mr W. G. McDonald, chairman of the Board of Trade, said that the cement shortage was acute as far back as July, 1820. It increased until a crisis was reached in December, and" remained very acute in January and lasted until February or March, 1921. was no exaggeration to say that cement was being distributed in Wellington in bucketsful. Wanganui and Taranaki were in a bad position in March. In response to urgent requests a shipment of 1500 tons was made to Wanganui, but tho order was cancelled because only fifty tons could be paid for. The same sort of tiling occurred all over New Zealand, and control was abolished. The only reason for this was the financial slump, due to the inability of people to get the money needed. Cross-examined by Air Meyers Mr Al*Donald said that during the control period New Zealand cement was selling at from £5 to £lO cheaper than imported cement. The public would have had no right to complain if the manufacturers had based their charges on the world’s prices, but they would have complained. The Board of Trade, in investigating the cement industry,, was freely given the fullest information bv the companies- The board was practically in the position of managing directors of companies so far as information was concerned. There was not a shadow of doubt that the companies had played the game fairly with the Government and the public. The Board had not included the Milburn Company in the investigations, the chief reason being that it was not- exclusively producing cement.