OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9007, 21 January 1895, Page 5

OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

ARE THEY PROPERLY SUPPORTED t AN IMPARTIAL ENQUIRY. (by our special bkporteb.) No. V.-THE AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT INDUSTRY. Unlike the other industries which have been dealt with in the course of this series of articles, the agricultural implement) manufacturers have to a Urge extent driven out the imported article. There are, however, as will be seen by the statement of the importer interviewed, one or two lines in which yet our local makers have got to come to the front. Appended is what ofio of the importers of implements has to Bay, and also an interview with one of our manufacturers. The latter will be supplemented later on by interviews with other makers in the city. WHAT THE IMPORTER SAYS. " You are quite right," said the gentle* man on whom I called to elicit the importers' views, "the colonial implement manufacturers have the market to them* selves in the matter of ploughs, &c. ; drills are the principal things we import, and we import them because we can obtain them with a wider range of Work than it is possible to get them manufactured here. How many do we import) a year ? Oh, about a hundred, and without any alteiation of the seed boxes we oau sow from beans to turnip seed. We also use them for grass seed. REASONS FOR IMPORTING. "I will tell you why we import these drills instead of, as you euggest, purchasing them from the local manufacturers. There are three main reason, aud I will give them to you seriatim. Firstly, it enab.es us to keep our men employed in the off season wben they are not engaged on the reapers and binders. Secondly, as I have already told you, we get a wider range than is given in the colonial made article. Thirdly—and this is perhaps the most important reason of all—we make more money out of the imported drill because we, can sell them more readily. Ido not want to speak disparagingly for one moment aa regards the colonial made drill. The workmanship ia excellent, and the castings are better done than in the imported implement, but the manufacturers do not put the finish generally'" upon them that the other outside makers, especially the Americaus, do. That is, they are not so taking to the eye from want of attention to . the get-up. For instance, take one of Duncan's drills as a typical colqnial-made implement.: The way in which it is painted makes it look far heavier than ie really is. Look at the reapers aud binders, on the other hand. Though they weigh some fourteen or fifteen hundredweight, the scrollwork and minting makes them look far lighter, I am quite free to admit, on the other hand, that the colonial manufacturers, being on the spot, can cater more efficiently for the requirements of the farmers than the outside manufacturers. My people have to get from mc in writing what is required, whereas the local man makes ha improvements from actual observation on the spot. But, as I have said, in the general get-up and outside finish the colonial article does t not come up to the imported one. I may say that before we commenoed to import the American drills I went round to the local manufacturers and asked them to make drills after the pattern of the American implement, but they would not give sufficient inducement for us to sell their Another line which oonfliots with the colonial production is hayrakes. We sell from 100 to 125 a year, and other firms are probably in the same position. One reason why I do so is that my people make them. If the colonial manufacturer gets the drills and hayrakes up in the same style and finish that the Americana do And we can get as much profit on them, we shall be glad to sell in place oi the imported article. THE TARIFF QUESTION. " There is some talk of imposing; ft duty on agricultural implements, bucthac ia Absurd. If anch a duty were to be imposed the farmer would have to pay ifc. Impose n duty of say 25 per cent on agricultural implements and the manufacturer will take advantage of it and increase the price accordingly, so that the farmer really pays the duty after all and not- the importer. Look at our binder twine industry, That has completely driven out the imported article, and is a finer and better quality than can be made Anywhere else. There is nob twenty tons a year imported sow, and there is no need whatever fora duty on it as it is impossible for outside manufacturers to compete.' THB MANUFACTURERS' SIDE. "In connection with the agriculture! machinery .question," said Mr Booth* of Messrs Booth and Macdonald, "I may «&y that in almost every case the local manufactures have succeeded ia driving oat the imported artiole. This is due mainly, no doubt, to the . adapting by' the, colonial manufacturers of their goods to the requirements of the colonial farmers. There are exceptions to the rule, notably in the case of harvesting machinery each &» reapers and binders, &0., and also , in epeoiai localities where foreign-made imptemecUi are in use. For instance, in Auckland where.the soil,is light and the people have American ideas there is a considerable importation of lightly-built and cheap American ploughs, harrows, &c. With these exceptions the colonial market is Almost entirely in . the hands 'of the* loom! makers, although American, firms are making strenuous efforts to introduce fresh lines'of their goods so as to keep their men profitably employed all $he year round. That is to say, the reaper and binder trade only takes- up some three months of the year, aud in order to cover the other, nine months these firms are going in for Such lines as cultivators and grain drills. In these two lines specially the American firm* compete directly with the colonial manufacturers. Besides which, these firms conduct their business on very much less oott* secvative lines than the colonial mactifacturer to do. Hence, although we do not compete with them in the manufacture of reapers and binders, their method of. business, «0,, to which I have referred, diverts money which wouldotherwiae come to the colonial manufacturer for the parchase of agricultural implement*. This also acts upon the wage earners* because it limits the amount whjch otherwise would be paid to them.

THE REMEDIES. "You ask mc what remedies, if any, there are for the state of things I have described* Well, although I am not an out-and-out protectionist I can see no other method toaS would be effectual except the imposition oi a prohibitive duty. That is* upon such lines as ploughs, cultivators, and drills, which we can manufacture in the colony m good and as cheaply as the American article. It is, I think, impossible for us to compete with the Americans, in the manufacture of reapers and binders. We could manufacture them, but we could nod sell them at the prices at which the American firms can offer them to our farmers. It is a special trade which demands a large market—far larger than ours —for its development. I do not think the imposition of a 20 per cent, duty on the , class of implements which can be made here would be of any use whatever. If our local industries are worth anything to the. country it is essential that this question should receive the most earnest attention of our legislators. Every thousand pounds' worth of ploughs, .cultivators, drills, &c.» sold in the colony which have been imported means practically £300 $o £400 reductions in the yearly wages' payments, or the living of twe or three families. WHAT THE COLONIAL MANUFACTURERS ARE DOING. " Our present line of manufactures covers ploughs, disc harrows, spading harrows, And cultivating machinery, together with wool pressjs and windmills. These are our leading lines. We have a few novelties in contemplation for the coming; season, bat we do not anticipate any distinctive new departure. * We nave, I may say, gone further afield with our manufactures, having established a branch office in Queensland, besides agensies in Victoria, New South Wales, and. South Australia. All the agricultural machinery, See., sold by us in Australia Iβ made local in our Christchuroh factory* This include* the ploughs, &&, to. which I have already referred *J oar leading ftde%

and some special implements for the cultivation of maize and sugar cane. We are also in hope of finding a considerable market for our goods in booth America. We have sent a couple of shipments to order to Chill, and if direct and speedy communication with this part of the world could be opened up I think a very considerable new market would be developed for our, agricultural machinery.

THE STATE OF THE TRADE.

" The outlook aa to the state of the agricultural implement trade is not, I regret to say, at present very encouraging. The past year has fallen considerably short as regards the volume of business, and until the prices of farm produce reach more satisfactory figures we can hardly expect our farmers to increase their purchases. I may ■ay that the farmers u« a class are far more patriotic with regard to their implements, &c, t than the average working man in connection with hia boots and clothing. The fanners will patronise the local makers if they can get what they want. Moreover, they are fully up to date iv their ideas, and want - the beet and most improved tools. Therefore when they can afford it they are good buyers, and the contraction in our business is but the reflection of the trouble* that have befallen the farmers arising from cause* beyond their control."