NEW ZEALAND HOME INDUSTRIES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12477, 12 April 1906, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND HOME INDUSTRIES.

TO THE EDITOR OK "TUE PRESS." Sir,—At last Friday night's mass meeting, held for tho purpose of ooueidering how New Zwuunao home industries may be eatabuaned permaI nontly, Mr James Keir, of P. and i>. I Duncan, Limited, again made Use charge that i was to receive a very large tsuni of money in connection wiai tlio amalgamation, ot the tarm imple- ; ment companion in Cnnotchurch tome ; three years ago, and by this means endeavoured to discredit mo in the eyes jof the meeting. Tho ngure stated was fictitious, and Mr Keir must have known that his etatement was not in accordance wiih the tacts, as tlic ioi- ■ lowing extract from my letter, dat«.d 1 March 13t u , 1903, to ;Vlr Peter Duncan, managing director of P. and D. Duncan, Limited, proves conclusively, viz.: — _ ":vly sincere desire is to see the amalgamation consummated, aud 1 propose to accept pait or tho percentage stipulated, or, it the directoie so uesire, 1 will be satiened v 1 get notning. In any case, payment muct be contingent upon the t&DsOiute success of tlio nt,./ company." I submit that the above does not sound as though 1 was after the "elmigtity dollar," and your readoie will be aolo to judge correctly in tno case. % At the meeting above referred to, 1 made the etatemont, in reply to Air lvoir, 'that locahy-made farm , nients wero sold to the >ew Zealand i farmers at prices ranging from 5U to 75 per cent, more tnan implement in-teriui-'d ior the same puipi.ee could be and actually were landed in New ao&- ---' land, afier paying a satisfactory prorit to the foreign manufacturer. Knowing this fact and tho cause, it wid be understood why 1 have peieiatently ad- | vocated, restricted or regulaied modern combination, etc. The prices charged for locally-made goods govern the prices charged in New Zealand for foreignmade goods. So long ac the prices charged for locally-made implement*, or any other kind of local factory proj ducts* are.high, tho prices fox foreign ' goods will alco bo high in proportion, as the foreigners are here tor all the profits they can get. It is patent to anyono who has studied the subject and tho conditions, the only way to reduce local prices is for our manufacturers to combine tneir various factories, etc, and then adopt modern • machinery, modern methods, etc., the same as the foreign manufacturers nave already done, buiall, scattered competing firms cannot take such advantages ; they can, however, and no doubt will, without expense, keep up prices by association agreements, to the great disadvantage ot the consuming • public. Wo know that combination will remove local composition, end that protection will prevent foreign competition. I advocate ooth, subject to allowing our manufacturers a liberal guaranteed percentage on the capital employed for a reasonably long term of years, the percentage to be gradually scaled down to the percentage that money j may be worth at the expiration of the franchise on concession. Labojir to be paid liberal, or legal, wages, and, alter paying all necessary upkeep and legitimate expenses, the surplus profits to bo returned to the consumers in proportion to their purchases. In some lines of manufacture, such as those controlled by the Millers', tho Sugar, and the Tobacco Trusts, the surpiiis profile over a liberal guaranteed percentage on capital, should be paid direcly to the Colonial Treasurer for the credit of tho pooplo in the Consolidated Revenue Account. j The only alternative to the above is I State competition in every important line of production, and eventually public ownership. The sooner a move Is ' made the better it will be for New ! Zealand. A ehort Act, encouraging i combination, and offering protection to all consolidated companies willing to co-operate the surplus profits, etc., would open the wav.—Vours, etc X., inn. * T, J, Mcßßl'bE. April 10th.