MANUFACTURERS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20089, 19 November 1930, Page 15

MANUFACTURERS.

annual report of i association. i _ t CANTERBURY HALL CKOJKCT. Iho executive, iu presenting its re°r year ending September i, is able to congratulate members upon commencing the Association's second halt-century with an extremely «' uable yhort in connexion with the etec.tion of a permanent exhibition ■ of the Association during the year," states the 51st annual report of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association. llie membership of the Association," timliiiiios tho report, "now stands at compared with 305 at the beginn.ng of the year. Regret is expressed at the death of Me«r.s \V. W. Cliar--'-r.s and George Scott. Unemployment Board. "I he executive has, as usual, Ikjoii in clo.se touch with tlie Department of Industries and Commerce throughout tho year, and, in September, the Department took a very delinite and important course in convening a conf'.- retir-e ol ivpresentatives from all Associations to discuss, under tho chairmanship 0 { the Department's chief executive officer, the question of manufacturers' direct interest in the probable outcome ol tho setting up of an I neinployineiit Uor>rd. The conference w;it> very interesting and disclosed tho value of close alliance between the manufacturer;; and the Department. During the vear jnrii-r review. Mr J. W. Coll ins lias been promoted to the of New Zealand Commissioner in Canada, and Mr L. J. Schinitt now occupies a similar jjosition in Australia. VVe regret the loss of those otticers from New Zealand, but we welcome back Mr G. W. Clinkard. who takes charge of the Department, as well as usbiiming other responsible Government duties, whilst the ex-local officer, Mr Colcinhoun. with Mr Johnson, formerly of Duncdin, in associated with Mr Clinkard in Wellington. We feci that we are extremely fortunate in having such able officers in charge of the Department, whi"h means mo much to manufacturers Mr A G. Cannons, of tho Ohristchurch office, has a seat on the executive, and his advice and co-operation are very valuable to the Association. New Canterbury HaU. ! ■ 'The finances of tho Association are*" in a satisfactory condition. The slight incren.se in subscriptions by the i.doption o! a sliding scale two veurs «iXO has enabled the A -.Mieiatioo to live within its income and to continue to employ a. part-time organiser, but the income this year was actually a few pounds loss than the expenditure, ivlm-h may be accounted for partly by additional expenses in attending conferences and a necessary ite'reased levy i to the Federation. "The investments, reflecting a snvinx policy of past executives, enabled the Association to launch the Canterbury Hall project, and to assist the finances of the Canterbury Hall Company in its early stages. The Association has taken ' up 5550 shares in the Hall Company, upon which a call has been made of 10s per share, and this money is gradually being paid to the Hall Company bv the Association their interests being identical. The Winter Exhibition fund, established out of Winter Exlrbition profits not otherwise allocated, ifi Krovriiicc satisfactorily, and should bo incroßCuiJ by £7OO aa the result of the I'jSO EsMbition. * ''ln one year, including a period of' trade and financial depression affecting nil classes of tho community, the scheme has not had to be held up, but -wonderful progress has been made by the i combined efforts of the executive, and ! the sympathetic help of members and many friends not directly interested in manufacturing. A aite was fixed upon by a unanimous vote of members; its purchase at a satisfactory price followed early in the year; preliminary finance was arranged by the Association, and tho Canterbury Hall Company was registered, Mr A. W. Beaven being appointed chairman of directors. "A second mortgage debenture issue was launched and with Mr Beaven continually active, and in the lead to inspire confidence, both in buyers of debentures and in the executive, the issue seems likely to be closed early in Docember, with a full subscription of £IB,OOO. Arrangements for the firs-t, mortgage are nearing completion', and there ia every hope of tho building being under way before Christmas, so that there may be a chanoe of occupying it for the Winter Exhibition next August. The executive takes prido in joining with its predecessor of last year in this building scheme, ae one

of tho most important events in the 'Association's history, and urges all members to help in its satisfactory conclusion. Development of Industries. j "The executive, in conjunction with the other Association, has not lost sight of the possibilities of establishing a -Development of Industries Board, and the Unemployment Act of last session, resulting in the setting up of an Unemployment Board, is undoubtedly a step in this direction, although the Act itself, and the Board, are rather unfortunately named. Just after the end of our financial year, a questionnaire was submitted to our members, with a view to ascertaining in what direction, other than by tariff, the Unemployment Board might bo able to help manufacturers, an t the information has been carefully examined by the Industries and Commerce Department. Tn this connexion it is our pleasure to congratulate one of the vice-presi-dents, Mr F. [ J . Hutchinson, in being unanimously nominated by the four Associations as representative of secondary industries interests on the Unemployment Board, and, as Mr Hutchinson is receiving the support of a number of unions of employers entitled to nominate, it seems highly probable that his nomination will )> e acceptable to the Government. " UeijUostuJ by the president, of the Manufacturers' Federation to come out as a candidate, Mr Hutchinson made persona! sacrifices, and, ultimately, as stated, received the unanimous support ol ail -the Associations. "Ihe question of a New Zealand trade mark has been gone into de novo, by the Federation, and has been placed iu the hands i..j" the Canterbury Association again; conditions have been drawn up: substantial prizes have been offered, and a cotisidorabie number of applications have been received from probable competitors. It is hoped that, upon this occasion, the Federation may be able to arrive at a unanimous and fit'itisfactory conclusion.''