The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1900. A SECRETARY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 290, 6 December 1900, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1900. A SECRETARY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRIES.

Por the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong tj&stf need* resistance, For the future In .tie distanoe, ■ - Ind the good that tre can de.

Tn deciding to place the Department of Industries under the control of a man of commercial training the Government are taking a step which will at once commend itself to the business sense of the whole community. It, indeed, seems absurd that the Department has not hitherto been under the guidance of one thoroughly familiar with business needs and business methods generally. As now constituted, it could not be expected to play that part in the machinery of government which should belong to it; and it is therefore not surprising that its functions have been chiefly confined to the collection and publication: of the industrial statistics for the colony and the drawing up of comparative tables. Now, there is both room and necessity for a department exercising a larger influence on the trade of the colony; for something'analogous to the Board of Trade in the Old Country. '■■.The primary object with which the latter was formed was to advise Parliament in matters of trade, and though its duties have gradually been increased so as to include the supervision of industry on a large scale, it still retains its original character in so far that its opinion carries great weight in regard to industriaT legislation.' Perhaps no Legislature in the world has been more in need of sound guidance in commercial matters than has that of New Zealand during the past decade, when the colony has so assiduously devoted itself to the problems of labour. Our representatives brought to the consideration of the most intricate questions a great deal of theory, but scarcely the amount of practical experience necessary for the task before them. If it had not been that they dealt with industrial conditions, still in the flexible stage ii «is-< questionable whether they could have ever hoped for the success they have attained.

It is impossible to ignore the adverse- criticisms ■ which' the labour legislation of recent years has been subjected to by a considerable section of, the industrial community. Over and over again it has been charged with having handicapped capital so as to drive much of it away from, the colony,, and to have unfairly penalised the mariitfac-

! hirers who remain. At the most these assertions must be regarded as exaggerated, if they are not quite unfounded. But no contradiction of them which.comes merely from an interested or an -uninformed source can hope to remove the false impression they-engender, and to restore confidence where "it may be lacking. It is certainly not impossible that the_ Legislature in dealing with commercial and industrial questions may fall into, error from ; want of specific knowledge. In the alterations of the Customs tariff, for instance, there have been several evidences of that danger, and any advice from outside sources which pre- ! tends to guide in such eases must be I accepted with caution, for there is lalways the strong probability that it is prompted by the self-interest of itho. adviser. .What is wanted is that ;the Department which takes cognizance of industrial matters should be in a position to furnish the fullest information to the Government, and also to tender the soundest business advice on all commercial questions. A department organised on - these lines would provide a safeguard against rash or haphazard legislation affecting industry, and be some assurance to the employers of labour that their interests, and the interests of trade generally, were more thoroughly understood than thefy are likely to be by the average politician.

The running of the Department of Industries on more up-to-date business lines should not only have a good effect on commerce through the Legislature, but its direct influence should be beneficial. There is nothing to hinder the Department being an inspiring centre of business enterprise and activity for the whole colon}', bringing into har-

monious play all the agencies available for the development of trade here, and co-operating Avith the Agent-General at Home. The first step towards attaining that is to have a first-class business man put in charge, a man chosen for his business ability and comprehensive views, without any respect to his political colour. We question, however, whether the salary attached to the ' position—£4so—is quite enough to attract the best stamp of men. New South Wales, which has just created two new posts in connection with the Agent-Generalship of the colony—that of commercial agent and of inquiry clerk —is paying both considerably more than we offer. A salary of £800 'is, attached to the first position, and £650 to that of inquiry clerk. Seeing the importance of the Secretary for Industries and Commerce, w-e think, if the trigjit man were obtained, he would be worth a larger remuneration and a higher official potion, than. \t is p'ropbsetl fo'give him.