BRITISH GOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1929, Page 2

BRITISH GOODS

A CONTRACT DISCUSSED. AUCKLAND, Feb. o. The recent action of the Auckland Electric il’owcr Board in placing orders with a British firm and a Swiss firm for 1000 electric: time switches, or clocks, for use on hot water systems, was referred to hv Mr T. Woodworth at a meeting of the hoard. Taking into consideration that British clocks were £sl dearer than the Swiss made, Mr Woodworth said he did not see why, when the Government already assisted the British article with preferential tariff, local bodies should show further favour. Me said that ho was absent from the meeting when the decision was made on the order of 1000 clocks placed with a British firm. They were paying £IOOO more than they need. The hoard used 2COO of flic docks each year, and this payment would, therefore, ho a recurring one. The chairman (Mr IV. J. IToldsworth) said that Mr Woodworth apparently did not. understand the position. The ordering of 1000 clocks from a British firm did not bind them to any future undertaking, film general manager had stated that both makes of docks would stand up to the work required. “I was anxious to he fair in Hie matter and had one make of each type of dock dismantled,” said Mr Holdsworth. “Even to the layman’s eye, the British clocks showed superiority in various pnrts. The spring, for instance, was much stronger than that of the Swiss clock. We did not want to study the original cost, hut the years of service that docks would give.” Other power boards were folloing their example by ordering a number of both brands of docks, and

they could make a lair test. Ho believed that the board had acted very wisely. Before Mr Holdsworth made his explanation, which was accepted by the board, Mr E. H. Potter protested against the board departing from the policy of purchasing only British goods.