Local Building Materials.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 8, 1 April 1919, Page 475

Local Building Materials.

Sonic interesting 'evidence has been brought forAvard by the Parliamentary Industries Committee, which has been visiting the various centres collecting information. The war has been responsible for the establishing of quite a number of industries in connection with the building trade, but according to Mr John Hutcheson, Avho represented the Dominion Ferrolith Company before the committee, the Government Departments have not been very encouraging to our local products. Mr Hutcheson accused the Government of 'sitting on the Company's back." He said that his company did not want spoon-feeding of any sort, but it Avas handicapped at present to a tremendous extent by Government charges, such as railway freights. The Avitness alleged, incidentally that the company had been exploited by gentlemen AA r ho came from the prisons to see the process used. Before the company heard anything of the matter, and without any "by-your-leave'P' they were making some of the same articles

as the company in the prison institutions of Canterbury and Southland. With regard to the existence of asbestos in New Zealand the witness observed:"l am thoroughly convinced that there are deposits of asbestos in sufficiency in New Zealand, and that the Government of the country could very well bring the material to the market much lower in price and much better in quality than the material at present being obtained from Canada."

Mr Hutcheson suggested that his products ought to be in the same freight class as New Zealand-made earthenware tiles. He thought he had grounds for saying that the New Zealand-made tiles and New Zealand-made asbestos slates should be in the same class, and that the latter should not have to pay much larger freights than the former paid. At the same meeting of the Industries Committee Mr E. J. C4uiness, chief clerk of stores, Railway Department, was invited to answer questions in regard to the extent of the support igiveii by his Department to local manufacturers of paints. He said that in general his Department went to a good deal of trouble in order to ascertain what local industries could supply it with its requirements. In 1913 a special schedule was drawn up favouring local industry, and the Department had been using local-ly-made articles as far as they could be supplied. Locally-made paint was not in 1913 included in the schedule, because at the time the Department was not satisfied that the paint was sufficiently highgrade to satisfy the Department's requirements. The Department was continually testing paints, and was at the moment testing locally-produced paints. The chairman: But how long will it take you to test them —"We are igoing into the matter of rebuilding our schedule next June, and the matter of all locally-manufactured paints will then be considered.

In reply to a question from Mi- Craigie, witness said that if there were works established in Nelson that could turn out a hematite equal to the old hematite that they used to produce there, the Deparment would put it on the schedule. The chairman: In the event of a local manufacturer of paint coming to you and saying: "We've a good paint, and Ave are prepared to back it, and in the event of its not standing the test we will under a bond repay the loss," would you consider the proposition?"We certainly would consider that aspect of it. It has never been suggested to us before, but we would not say 'no' right away to that." Mr Sidey: Can I take it that we have an assurance that in the matter of all local productions the Department will igive reasonable preference to purchasing locally-made goods in future?—"That is the settled policy of the Department." The chairman: We recognise just as well as anybody that the Railway Department cannot buy unsuitable goods or bad goods; but we do strongly urge that where a local product can be purchased that will give satisfaction, and the price is reasonable, the Department should be a little more active and a little more enengetic, so that they can establish the industries that the country so badly needs.