OUR SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16219, 23 May 1918, Page 7

OUR SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.

QUESTION OF N A'FIONA I Oii (i A XIS ATJ OX.

U'HK" . s-onvriON i'.-.!.eoi:ah.) WEfJ.fXOTOX, May ±.>. A deputation lro.'n the Wellington Provincial Industrial Association to-day waited on the Hon. A. M. Myers. Minister of Cu-io;.:- and Acting-Minis-ter of Finance, tor the purpose ef placing before him their views regarding national organisation of the secondary industries of the country. It urged that a seci.-l department s'uou!:! be set up to d- al with matters rc'r.tij g to induslrv in exactly tile same m:ri:.e: -

as that in whic;i tin- J)o]i irtini ii* of Agriculture di alt will: aiiricultural inat-tei-s. The present state r.f rit'air.s. \z v.'as stilted, was respnn>ib!c> for the tact that important records a"d data obtained from time to time by industrial associations were now sn..piy deposi'tei] ill tlie archives of the various associations, instead o; Ijoing fil-d in a ileiiartmerit with a view to their practical utilisation in the interests o£ national development ar.d industrial expansion. Another point brought inward by the deputation was the existing lack of Slate organisation for bringing together representatives of capital and labour. It was also stated that the pre'-'cnt Customs tariif was devised a considerable time ago, and v.'as now ohl in principle. The suggestion was made that a board should be set up with the object of collecting information for revising the tariff and bringing tiii; whole subject up to date. The establishment at a separate department of industry would bo of extreme value in connexion with new enterprises, there beim* at present no official channel through which preliminary enquiries could bo made, and full information secured bearing on the establishment of new business concerns. Ihe Association made the suggestion that mdustries and Commerce should be constituted two distinct department 1 ;, and n board of capable business men appointed in an advisory capacity to the Department of Industries, to the end that means be created whereby the industrial interests of the Dominion might receive full State encouragMient. and support. The view was fuitlicr oxpresscd that following upon the cessation of hostilities there would likely be a considerable influx of immigriuts, mainly of the industrial classes, whose advent would have no inconsiderable effect upon the trend of industry in tiic Dominion.

In reply, the Minister expressed his pleasure at being afforded an opportunity to meet a deputation so iully representative of the industries of New Zealand. Now Zealand's policy in regard to trade had always been a clearly defined one. To put it shortly, that policy had always been tho encouragement of our own industries within the Dominion and the fostering of economic relationships with thp Empire. After the war, of course, an Imperial policy of inter-reciprocal trading, which was now taking definite shape by means of discussions between representatives of the whole Empire at periodical conferences and Imperial Cabinets, would eventually becomo an established fact, and the course to be followed by New Zealand, at that time would only be an extension of that policy of Imperial preference of which she had always been a warm advocate, 'with the additional proviso that next in preference to-our. own Empire there should bo an effort made to swell the volumu of trade with the gallant allies who had thrown in their lot with us in this world war. The Minister stated that it was quite recojjnisecl that tho secondary industries of tho country were becoming more important with each passing year, and in view of tho obligation that lay upon us to organise and develop the whole of our resources towards meeting the heavy financial responsibilities incurred during tho war, it was all the more necessary that ihe second industries of the Dominion should receiv•• the fullest possible consideration. -garding tho inauguration by the Scate of a modus operandi whereby Capital and Labour might "r,o brought into contact with the object of promoting a mutual understanding, Mr Myers drew attention to tho fact that tninking men of all classes nnd all countries were practically unanimous in the opinion that this was one of thoso important questions on which the whole future of human progress and welfare might hingje. He assured the deputation that this subject was by no means being overlooked by the Government. So far as the tariff was concerned. the Minister pointed out that it was the desire of tho Government to review this as soon as a favourable opportunity presented itself. Tho Industrial Association, in his opinion, w-ould be of material assistance in this direction, nnd ho looked forward to availing himsolf of the valuablo data now being accumulated by its various branches. It was his intention to suggest to Cabinet the advisability of setting up a small committee, composed of practical and experienced men, to assist the Minister of Customs in the direction of visiting various centres and obtaining reliablo information as a guide towards the amendment nnd reconstruction of the tariff. Regarding now industries, Mr fivers stated that it was fully recognised that in future the State would be called upon to accord business enterprise and initiative a fuller measure of support than had been forthcoming in the" Dast. With respect to scientific research, his colleague the Minister of Internal Affairs was already dealing with this matter. The question of immigration was not ono com in p; directlv under his jurisdic-j tion. and involved nn important mntter of policy. Tho Minister stated that,' together with tho other questions that, had been raised, he would have pleasure in bringing the representations of the deputation under the notice of his colleagues at the first favourable opportunity.