- 2.-
a decision in each particular case. It is now the
policy of the Government to require the use of British
cement to the extent of approximately fifty per cent
of the quantity consumed on public works let out to
contract. Only British cement is used on work
carried out departmentally: this amounts to about 2,500
bags a year.
3.
The cost to the Government of Green Island
Cement, which is the only cement of British manufacture
available at competitive prices was in the early part
of this year $2,60 per bag of 240 250 lbs. and has
been considerably higher in the past, but the Company
has recently offered to reduce its price to $2.35 per
bag if the Government will agree to use Green Island
Cement in fifty per cent of its undertakings. The
average price of Japanese cement of equivalent quality
is approximately $1.55 per bag though quotations as
low as 90 cents per bag have been received.
The special arrangements which have been
made for the supply of cement for the works in connection
with the Shing Mun Gorge dam are set out in the fourth
Teen 11095/23 and fifth paragraphs of my despatch No. 303 of the 26th
May, 1933, and should prove of very considerable
assistance to the Company.
It must not be overlooked in this connection
that although the Green Island Cement Company's cement is referred to as British Cement the raw materials from which
it is produced come almost entirely from foreign countries, nor should it be forgotten that the Green Island Cement Company Limited is the only Cement manufacturing Company
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