DOMINION-MADE GOODS ARE TO BE USED BY M.E.D.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19236, 25 November 1930, Page 4

DOMINION-MADE GOODS ARE TO BE USED BY M.E.D.

“General Manager Not Sympathetic Enough To Local Manufacturers.”

A DESIRE for a more sympathetic attitude on the part of the Municipal Electricity Department towards locallymanufactured electrical goods was expressed at last night’s meeting of the City Council.

The discussion arose when the following motion was proposed by Councillor A. E. Armstrong, in pursuance of notice previously given:— * (1) That the policy of exclusively using a Canadian range in the Municipal Electricity Department’s demonstrating room for cooking demonstrations be discontinued. (2) That the Electricity Committee be instructed to see that in future local or New Zealand manufactured ranges are used alternately for cooking demonstrations and that the people present be advised of that fact. (3) That part of the Municipal Electricity Department’s showroom be set aside for the exhibiting of New Zealand manufactured electrical goods only. The matter has been before the council on a number of occasions and was the subject of a special report by the general manager of the Municipal Electricity Department. In this report it was stated that the present policy of the M.E.D., which was being criticised, was not a new one. It had been long established and consistently followed, and had justified itself by results. “Not Sympathetic Enough.’' Councillor A. E. Armstrong said that one of the greatest problems facing parents of boys leaving school was where to place them in jobs. lie had come to the conclusion that one of the industries most suited to development was the manufacture of electrical appliances. The council should encourage local industries where they had reasonable prospects of development. At the present time local manufacturers were able to produce goods of a quality equal to, if not better than, those - that were imported. He considered that the general manager of the Municipal Electricity Department was not sympathetic enough towards locally manufactured goods. The locallv manufactured range should be shown to the public just the same as the range imported from Canada. The M.E.D., said Councillor Armstrong, was sending £16,222 a year to Canada for ranges alone, as compared with £2311 paid for all classes of locally made electrical goods. “ Gould Do More.” Councillor A. W. Beaven said he was prepared to second the motion if Councillor Armstrong agreed to add the words “ as soon as possible ” to each ° Councillor Armstrong agreed to the addition. . Councillor Beaven congratulated Councillor Armstrong on his advocacy of New Zealand-made goods. In his opinion the Electricity Committee did not seem to have grasped the situation as it existed. The general manager of the M.E.D. had done a fair amount in the direction of assisting local manufacturers, but he could have done a great deal more. The locally manufactured

goods had proved better than some of the imported goods. There were at least four manufacturers in Christchurch who were turning out electrical goods, and they deserved all the support and encouragement that the council could give them. Councillor A. A. M’Lachlan said he supported the motion for a different reason from those already stated. His idea was that it would be a good thing to restrict imports of Canadian goods because of the hostile attitude of the Canadian Tory Government to the importation of butter from New Zealand. Councillor L. B. Neale said that many salesmen were assisting to create unemployment by pushing the sale of imported goods as against locally manufactured goods. He maintained that New Zealand was in a precarious position, and that if butter dropped another halfpenny a pound and wool fell still lower, the amount of unemployment would be further increased to a considerable extent. An Amendment. Councillor Elizabeth M’Combs moved as an amendment that the matter be left to the Electricity Committee to consult with the local manufacturers as to the best methods by which they could be assisted. The Mayor said that there were competitors in Christchurch who would like to put the M.E.D. out of business, and the M.E.D. could not afford to turn customers away by trying to sell them what they did not want. Implement vendors had to sell foreign goods because the farmers wanted them. Such was the position with the M.E.D. If the M.E.D. was put out of business it would not benefit New Zealand, but only the Municipal Electricity Department’s competitors. “A Pious Resolution.” Councillor D. G. Sullivan, M.P., said that if the resolution, as amended, was carried, it would be nothing but a pious resolution. Who would make the decision as to when the change was possible ? Councillor J. W. Beanland said that he would not like the council to throw up a gold mine until the local ranges had been put to a thorough test. The local range would be given a chance in demonstrations and people could judge for themselves as to the better range and make their choice ly-“lll-Advised Attack.” Councillor M. E. Lyons said that that he deprecated Councillor Armstrong’s ill-advised and continuous attack on the general manager. The debate showed to some extent the undesirability of municipal trading, for there were vested interests at work inimical to local manufacture. After Councillor Armstrong had replied, the motion was carried unanimously, with an addition to the effect that the committee should submit a report to the next meeting of the council.