TENDER THAT WAS HIGHER

Shannon News, 16 February 1926, Page 3

TENDER THAT WAS HIGHER

GOVERNMENT ACTION APPROVED BY FARMEKS. "That the notice of the Dominion executive he called to the report that New Zealand tender for the supply of motor number plates for the coming year amounting to £IB.OOO has been accepted in preference to an overseas ender at £II,OOO. and that the matter be investigated'. io ran an Auckland remit presented at a metting of the dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at Wellington last week. ■ j The Secretary stated that he had re- j ferred che matter to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Bollard,) who in j a reply dated January 23 stated that it *was not the custom of the' Government to disclose the amounts of tenders for material, but that the tender accepted for the supply of motor number plates did not amount to £IB,OOO or even to the lower amount quoted £II,OOO "It is the desire of the Government that New Zealand's secondary industries should be given every assistance possible," continued the reply, "and it was with this idea in view that special preference was given to the local manufacturer who undertook to supply plates equal in quality to any samples submitted by firms manufacturing outside the Dominion. The additional amount which will be paid for the locally-made article will be compensated for by the fact that a new industry has been started and that the machinery installed for the purpose will b* «sed later to carry on work which cannot at present be done in New Zealand. lam sure your executive will agree with the policy of preference to New Zealand manufacturers and products." Members expressed satisfaction at the tone of the reply, which will be forwarded to the Auckland body.