IMPERIAL SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 156, 21 March 1918, Page 8

IMPERIAL SUPPLIES

OF MISMANAGEMENT. At yesterday's meeting.of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand, Ivir. C. J. 'Ward (Wellington) raised the question of "injury to industry through lucom'peteut handling by Uovcrnuiciii ■ oihcrals of raw materials'." ho said that during tho last two or tlireo years the Imperial Supplies Department had handled £50,(X)0,UU0 worth of New Zealand produce, and there was no disguising the fact, that it had caused difficulties in many quarters. He could quote an illustration from Chnstchurcn, Tho AVoolston tanneries had specialised in the dressing of calfskins and had provided a .largo aud expensive plant for this purpose, 'lne plant had been brought jUlmost to a standstill owing to a shortage ot supplies of ekins, while at the saoio time tile imperial Supplies Department had sent 2o,U(X) caltskins iu Australia. The tannery had since been able to get somw skins irom AY el-, lmgton, but only througn imormation received from an outside source. The department had not assisted the Jiew Zealand tirm. An Auckland firm had quoted another grievance. It bad wanted to. ■ take hides from tho Waitara freezing works, and it had been neces r ' sary from its point of view that tno hides should be taken month by month, owing to the seasonal variations in quality. But tho Department .had made conditions that would have involved th« iirra in;the'.purchase of : 'far beyond its requirements. Mr. "Ward said he was quite satisfied there wus something wrong with the methodf of the Department. Where tho trouble was Hβ did not know. It-might be incompetence, lack of interest, or lack of knowledge. He'had"learned that the calfskins shipped to Australia had been improperly prepared, with the result' that they had arrived "slippy" and consequent') - had deteriorated in value. There had been other cases of mismanagement in connection with the official control,'.of produce. The Department was ; responsible- to nobody but the Prime Minister, and it was very dim'-; wilt for any person interested to seo the Prime Minister. iMr. H. Dearsley (Auckland) said an Auckland tanner, had been unable to use pelts lying in hia own yard because an official had not'eomo to pass them. There had been a.delay of two month's until representations had' been made to the Prime -Minister. In another case representations to Mr. Triggs had produced a speedy-result. The system should not require appeals to: be;made to ..the heads. of\tho Department.' , ' 'It ; was decided ■ that- the-' • matter should be referred by deputation to the. Prime' Minister. - . :Mr.!' Ward mentioned that New Zealand firms had to. purchase'from-Aus-tralia,' and pay duty upon leather manufactured from hides that had gone to Australia over the heade of New Zea-land-tanners.