INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION. SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 89, 12 October 1904, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION. SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM THE PRESIDENT.

The monthly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Wellington Industrial Association was held in the Association office last night. The President (Mr. John P. Luke) occupied the chair. The Secretary (Mr. H. F. Allen) read a mass of correspondence, inwards and outwards. A number of letters acknowledged the effoits of the Association regarding encouragement of the candlemaking industry. The names of several new members were received. The President said it was his intention to have made an address appropriate to the occasion of his taking the chair for the first time ut a meeting of the Committee. But as members were anxious to attend the pubHe meeting on the city leaseholds question, he would postpone the major portion of the remarks he intended making on current questions. The depression in the labour market of the colony was attracting some attention, but he believed that the d«pres- , sion was mostly felt amongst the un- I skilled' portion of the community. Tho easing-off of a number of important municipal works »had been felt, but the speaker believed that the incoming wool season and the promise of a good harvest would gteatly improve the position. There was no doubt that the harassing nature of the legislation of the country had seriously affected our industries. It seemed to him, also, that the more closely they examined the Monopolies Bill now before the House, the more they must come to the conclusion that it was but another measure that would tend to further strangle tho industries of the colony that needed encouragement. The Employers' Association was doing good work in watching and taking , action against this Bill. It would have been observed that the Premier had told a deputation from the Technical School Board that he could not increase the allocation already made for technical education, which allocation was altogether inadequate, so far as Wellington was concerned. Mr. Seddon had also taken advantage of the opportunity to play off upon what he (Mr. Luke) considered the < sentiment regarding the wealthy members of the community, and their lack of financial support of local institutions. But the speaker thought the Premier was mistaken. The rich people of Wellington were those who had made their money out of the agricultural and pastoral ' interests, and who were not interested in technical education. This was a question which bore particularly upon the industrial people The Association should strike out and make the Government feel that the democracy of New Zealand had set the Government the task of providing adequately for the education and training of the young men. (Hear, hear.) Messrs. Wm. Allen, Hardie Shaw, and Alister Brown were elected a Visiting Committee. It was decided that the annual dinner of the Association be held on Friday, the 28th inst. The President acknowledged the receipt of an invitation to attend the show of the 'Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association, and said he wonld do so if possible.