EMPIRE FIRST

Waipa Post, Volume 48, Issue 3482, 21 June 1934, Page 7

EMPIRE FIRST

A NOTABLE ADDRESS.

LOCAL BODY CONTRACTS. EXAMPLE OF LONDON. Mr. E. M. Dence, who was chairman of the London County Council during 1933-34 was the chief guest at a Royal Empire Society lunch in the City on April 17. He spoke on the subject of "Empire Materials for Public Contracts."

Sir Archibald Weigail, who was in the chair, spoke of the "splendid stupidity of the abolition of the Emph-e Marketing Board/' The Hon. G. Howard Ferguson, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Dence at the end of the proceedings, said that Mr. Dence had contributed much more to the development of Empire trade and the Empire spirit than the average person realised. Not only had be done a great deal for the Empire in actual business, but his leadership of local bodies and of public opinion had had very great effect. Mr. Dence gave an indication of the field of public contracts in the United Kingdom. 1. Government Departments. —Navy, Army, Air Force; Postmaster-General, H.M. Stationery Office; Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; Board of Education; Ministry of Health; Home Office. 2. Elected Local Authorities. — County Councils, 62; Metropolitan and County Boroughs, 385; Municipal, Urban, and Rural Councils, and District, 1332; Parish Councils, 711; total, 8879.

In addition, there are 5600 parish meetings, the spending capacity of which unimportant. 3. Ad Hoc Authorities, such as Harbour Authorities, Joint Boards for Hospitals, Water, Gas, Sewage, and sc on, and other authorities. The total number of such authorties is over 1700. A Successful Campaign. In August, 1930, Mr. Dence reminded his auidence, the Empire Marketing Board addressed a letter to the principal authorities inviting their cc-operationin the policy of Imperial Preference. Further, the board arranged for visits to local authorities by four specially selected marketing officers. These four gentlemen were real experts, and they did wonderful work.

As a result of these visits, 150 local authorities became adherents to the policy either by passing general resolutions or by adopting the board's detailed recommendations for the amendement of their forms of tender. There are records to show that numerous changes from foreign to Empire commodities resulted directly from this campaign. During the year 1931-32" the tender forms of no less than 319 local authorities in a position to make large purchases of Empire products were, as a result of suggestions made by the Empire Marketing Board, revised with a view to the substitution of articles of Empire for those of foreign origin. In the report for 1932-33 the Empire Marketing Board stated that all the major local bodies in Great Britain and Northern Ireland had been visited, with the result that tender forms covering supplies of some 1500 institutions had been submitted to the board for suggested amendment in favour of Empire purchases. The work of the marketing officers had not been entirely confined to foodstuffs, but as opportunities were presented the claims of Empire timber, of Empire sisal for ropes, and of Empire-made glass and other manufactures wer urged upon the authorities.

"In connection with this subject," said Mr. Dence, "I have made two recent calls on what remains of the Empire Marketing Board and have had the pleasure of studying the 1932 and 1933 reports of that body which is now practically defunct. It is no part of my duty to enlarge either upon the policy that led to its creation or upon the reasons for the decision to wind up its activities. The Empire Marketing Board was immensely popular with the public and during its short life of eight years accomplished work of immeasurable benefit to this country and the Dominions.

London County Counci'9.

Since 1929 the policy of Imperial Preference had" been observed in practically the whole of the building operations of the London County Council. This included the new section ol County Hall; the whole of its housing operations, and all the schools, hospitals, institutions, and establishments that had been built.

In April, 1930, this policy being well established, the Council made a new standing order as follows:

"In the constructions of dwellings and other buildings preference shall be given, whereever practicable, to the use of materials wholly or in part obtained from sources within the British Empire. In the case of dwellings, that is the construction of dwellings and other buildings, preference be given whenever practicable to materials wholly or in part obtained from sources within the British Empire and that the additional cost of exercising such preference be not taken into account in fixing housing rents."

From the experience gained in the

operation of this regulation, it soon became evident that the prices required by builders and contractors for materials from Empire sources were very little more than for materials obtained from any other source. For the first year, this difference never amounted to more than about half per cent. Since that time building contracts had been placed amounting to many millions of pounds, and the lowest tenders very often made no difference in the price for including all Empire materials, while in others the increase in price was almost negligible, amounting sometimes from £SO to £IOO on a very large contract.