PREFERENCE IN PRACTICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2764, 19 March 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

PREFERENCE IN PRACTICE.

A further striking example of the effect on British trade of the Preference granted by the oversea States is forthcoming from Australia. The preferential allowance of 10 i>er cent, granted by the Commonwealth Postmaster-Gen-eral to Britisli tenderers for postal and telegraph 'material is having ai revolutionary effect upon practically all contracts for the supply of electrical wire and plant. According to an official statement in relation to a large number of recent tenders, the Germans are now beaten by their British- competitors every time- In many oases, it is point, ed out by the Secretary .to the Central Administration, Sir Robert. Scott, the lowest -prices, apart from the preferential allowance, were quoted for goods •manufactured in Germany. The preference, however, gave -the work to British firms. Amongst tbe rece-nt tenthe following may be cited as illustrating the-process that takes place : .1. 1;} tons hai’d drawn copper wire.— The German tender, was £lO5 18s 3d. 'The British -tender by the Helsby -Cables Company was £l3l 13s 9d. Owing to the addition of the 10' per cent, allowance to the German quotation the British tender became the lowest, and was successful. '2.. Thirty tons of wire.—German price £-2158 10s; British price, £2257 10s. In this case again the preference transposes the position of the two tenders. 3. Twenty tons of hard drawn copper wire.—German tender, £1439; British tender, £1505. Here again the process was repeated, and the Britisli firm secured the tender.

4. Twenty tons pho so-bronze wire.—• German tender, £1599 ; British tender, £1631 13s 4d. Here once more the Bri_ tisli firm scored by the addition to- its foreign competitor’s price of the 10 ;per cent, allowed to British tenderers. These are only a few examples, and as the preference is a permanent institution, the benefit to the trade of the Mother Country will (says the “Standard of Empire”) soon become considerable.