IRONMASTERS CONFER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1063, 28 February 1911, Page 8

IRONMASTERS CONFER.

■ . .. . : —-■ , » ;■■;, ;•■';. ' ■ THEY WANT A TARIFF." IBy Telcsrapb—Press Association.l- -. Dunedin, February 27.'. In nn address before the Ironmasters' Association to-day, Sir.' J. B. Lauretson, of Christchurch, advanced soma arguments in favour of tariff in iron manufactures. .Hβ pointed out'that, the . Commonwealth, since adopting ' a protective tariff, had advanced tremendous!}- in secondary manufactures. This ' not. only shut out our manufactures, but enabled the Commonwealth to turn the tables and ship, back here. Victoria's' population was 32 por cent, more than.that of New Zealand, but her employees ■in the . iron industry was 2.66' 'per cent, more. . During the period 1900-1905 we imported five million pounds' worth of machinery, on which the revenue benefited to the extent of 4.43." per cent.' At the conference of employers and employees at Wellington. in November last a'list of machinery and appliances had been drawn up. That list contained ten ,articles which conld- not-be made in tho colony, and represented,three-quarters of the five millions mentioned above. ' With 4 protective tariff ;.of 33 l-3rd per .cent, the revenue would bo increased by >£53e,000, and would be spent in employing 1578 additional hands annually, and, further, there would . be ■ .£7B!),ooo'expenses,.such as salaries, rents, etc., or a total of .£1,578,000; profit,, .C2G3.000; grand, total, .£1,811,000. In ad-dition-a largo.number of youths would become tradesmen, and, further, 2200 would be on the way to become tradesf men. .

A deputation from the New Zealand Federated Boilermakers' Union waited on the conference to discuss the proposals for a , now award for the Dominion. The discussion on. this question will be continued to-morrow evening. . .'..,"• '. . CONTBART VIEW OF THINGS. ' IBy Tclesraph.-Spepial CorrissnonioEt.l Chrislchurch, February 27. . At the monthly meeting .of tho Ashbur; ton Farmers' Union ilrl W. Hardin? tho recent meetiuß of implement makers and emnloyeos, and their desiro for iricrensed protection on implements manufactured in the .-Dominion agp.inst. outsido .manufacturer?. Ha would like:to know .whether, in th& event of increased protection .being given, the Kew Zealand implement makers would be prepared to supply implements at the saino nrico as at present His own opinion was tuat tho farmers would have to paj at the finish, any increased protection that might ba granted. Air. Lill did not know what the New Zealand manufacturers wanted increased protection. for. Ho thought they ■. he.d enough already. Ho iuTther stated that ho had obtained from a Canterbury firm the nrico for a large chain harrow, and tho lowest nrico ' quoted him'was il(i. ThinkinK this too high ho imported, an exactly, similar implement from England, iiud it was landeflin Ashbnrton clear of ,all charges at less than £'.■ .... ' . '. Mr.' W. Moses said-that, last year," ha wanted some cog ..wheels for his "traction engine. The Canterbury, nrice- was .£l6. Ho sent Homo for-tho wheels, and they cost him just £12 landod in Ashburtpu. . On the motiou of llr. Harding, it was unanimously decided' "That the Ashbur}on.branch of tho Farmers' Union, -having noticed .the report; of tho meeting of employers' and employees' discussion on the desirability of increased • protection in the agricultural: implement "trade, is of opinion that such nrotection is con-, trary to. the.interest of'tho farming, communitv, and asks the North Canterbury executive to give the matter their careful consideration." ' . . /

■The London "Times" says:—Attention has been called to tho fact that in the article. on State insurance, ' published January t, no reference 'w.as mado' to' the system of unemployment insurance which the Government are believed-to contemplate. The explanation is, wo believe, that• -while the .Department in charge of ■the invalidity and ' sickness insurance scheme will be under the. Treasury, the unemployment insurance system is likely to be launched by tho Homo Office. It would Ecem probable that any'such sys-tem-would bo tried at first in a tentative way in certain of the best organised trades, and, it would hardly be surprising if use were made ■of the machinery provided by the Labour Exchanges.