INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18151, 14 August 1924, Page 10

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The Executive Committee of the Canterbury Industrial Association met last night, Mr H. K. Best presiding. Others present were: Messrs F. L. Hutchinson, H. Holland, E. Archbold, A. M. West. H. Willis, H. Eursoii, S. 11. Maddren, E. H. Marriner, T. W. Woodroffo, and W. J. Jenkin.

Mr W. J. Jenkin was appointed the Association's representative to vote at the election of a candidate for membership to the Technical College Board to replace Mr K. S. Murchison, who had resigned.

A letter was received from the Auckland Association regarding a proposal to send a trade mission to Java.

Mr Jenkin suggested that a conference should bo held between representatives of the Auckland, Wellington, and Canterbury Associations. The Dunedin Association, *he said, did not favour tho proposal, but the other three should make an effort to carry it into effect. He felt confident that some help would be provided by the government. In reply to Mr Woodroffe, Mr Jenkin said the cost of the mission would be £SOO. The representative appointed would be away for about three months. Tho Canterbury Association's quota should be raised by a special appeal to manufacturers. Canterbury and Auckland were willing to contribute to the cost of the mission, and he hoped that Wellington would come in also as the outcome of the proposed conference.

The chairman said it would not be fair for two Associations to bear the whole cost of the mission for the benefit of the manufacturers all over New Zealand. Mr H. Holland .said that Canterbury and Auckland should go ahead with the mission if the other centres would not join in. Mr Jenkin's suggestion regarding a conference was adopted. Mr Jenkin said the shipping difficulty with Java had now been overcome. Regarding the projected lifting of the sugar duty, the chairman said he had received a telegram from the Prime Minister stating that the matter was being revieved at present by a Select Committee of the House, and the whole question would receive the earnest consideration of tha Government.

Mr Best add'd that personally he did not think the Government would abolish the sugar duty. Manufacturers using sugar supplies wore taking very active steps to induce the Government to retain the duty and the Chelsea sugar works. The chairman said he had heard that the metal window-frames for the Queen Mary Hospital were being ordered from Great Britain. Those frames were made in New Zealand, and should have been obtained from a New Zealand maker. A member said a Christchurch firm was the successful tenderer for thj supply of the metal frames, and had placed the order in Great Britain without giving local manufacturers an opportunity, to supply. . The chairman said that representa- 0 tions should be sent to the Government asking that in all Government contracts or mb-contracts provision should be made whereby New Zealand manufacturers should have an opportunity of tendering for the supply of material or equipment that' could be made in the Dominion.

This suggestion was agreed to,

Mr Jenkin said the Government Control Board wer? giving the New Zealand manufacturers every • opportunity to tender, but retained no-control over subcontractors. Industries Week.

Regarding Industries Week, to be hsH in October, Mr Woodroffe said it was proposed to orgmise an industries procession to move through the aity daily and to-park in some convenient locality at night. The procession would be accompanied by a band, and would be illuniinatecl at night, and should attract a lot cf attention. Each manufacturer would provide stock, ar.d decorate his own lorries, and the combined lorries would form the procession. It was hoped that the procession idea would be more effectiye in advertising New Zealand-made " goods than the former shop window displays, which in many cases were most .disappointing. Mr Hutchinson said that the weakness of the shop window idea was that the exhibition wa§ so scattered and scrappy. The shop people were most obliging in lending their windows for the displays. The chairman said the procession idea, if taken up seriously in the right Bpirit, would prove a great suecess. He suggested that the collection of importel shoddy boots, no<\r beirg arranged should be displayed in Christchurch during Industries Week. Mr Woodroffe said a " propaganda, wagon" should .be included in - procession. , Mr. Jcnkht said it was essential to show the public how important it was to support lodal industries. -Last-year's Industries Week, in his opirion, . was quite successful. The meeting agreed to .hold- the procession during Industries ;Week.