ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1924, Page 1

ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES

'IXCRIvA.SK IX PRICE FO-IiESIIADOWKJ).

A I.’CK LAX I), Xovemher 12. Am indication that prices for electrii.il pplies ia iln- Ilominion will -ieoilly have in he im-ieased was given yesterday bv .Mr (I. 1.. Tliorbiirn, uiana:■ r of the Klectrical Consli ilcliou Con.i any. who returned on Monday by ibe .Mahura from an extended trip In Cre.it IhiLain, the Continent and Canada.

.Mr Tliorbiirn stated that while in England manufacturers (if electrical goods and appliances told him they were suffering from the keen conipetilioli at present existing in New Zi‘aanel. Several of them had stated they were selling certain lines at a very serials Ins- in their endeavour to keep the •oloninl market. Most- of them were k-siidiis of keeping their plants emiloyed. in the hope that better innr-o-ting t auditions would shortly pre-,-ail hut the opinion was generally he'd hat the time was not far distant -'Tie'll |ii:es for electrical goods in the lominion must he raised to a level there tlicv would give a reasouahle re-

A i-onsiele-rable improvement in the electrical industry was noted by Mr Tliorbiirn in Canada, where plant for the generation of power was being extcmleel in all ilire-' lions anil tla- in-,ln-trv --.is being w id.lv l'..ste,,-d in : Ingreat benefit of the people. The increasing use of electricity for domestic purposes was particularly apparent The very favourable', rate at -which current wa.s sold, imluceil householders to iustal electiic emoking stoves, water, heaters, and electric washing machines. ft was found that the rate charged for e-urrent in Canada made the use* of electric stoves cheaper than other forms of cooking, while thousands < f electric washing machines were being sold all over :t ; lie country. T liese and other household elee-trie appliances had long passed the experimental stage and had now been elevelope-el to a -talc of eeonoinie ill efficiency, a rigid test being nee-essary helorc they could ho marketed with the approval of the hydraulic boards. During bis tour Mr Tliorbiirn visited Germany, and found that Berlin lacked the- buoyancy he had expei-ted lienii reports emanating from that country. Living in Germany appeared to be very dear, and from what he- could learn the east of living was considerably greater than had hee-n tie' ease two years earlier. However, the Germ ties claimed they were going out alter theii -Imre of export business. Mr Tliorbiirn learned the Gormans were already finding a ready market for their goods in 'England, and to him the altitude of English buyers e-ontrasteel strange |y will) that cl' the' British dominions where tlu-re was sentiment in favour of the British inaniilaeTiirer. The atlila,le of a number of English buyers seemed l-> be: “Well, the war is over; why should we not buy in the best markets?” Mr Tliorbiirn instance-el a ease of a loyal English business man who wished to buy only British gooels. but was faced with the problem of his competitors buying German geoiis at a cheaper rate. He desired to purchase a line of porcelain articles which the Gormans piloted ill 2d. whereas a. similar article mad,, in Knglainl i-iiulil not be procured at less than "eel. H<‘ asked the British manufacturer to meet him at a pi ice reasonably i lose to that ol the Germans, but was tnh! it would be im-po.-.silde to nit tin- pi-in- and he was plac eI in I lie- posit cither buying from Germany or allowing his competitors to tab- ‘business away from Dim. That. said Mr Thorbiirn. was an eiidialien of what was taking phu-c in England.