OUR INDUSTRIES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 140, 15 June 1928, Page 14

OUR INDUSTRIES

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE REVIEW BY PRIME'MINISTER The assistance rendered to the industries of the Dominion by the present Government was referred to by the Primo Minister (the Eight Hon. J. (J. Coatos) iv the course- of his speech at the Town Hall last night. Mr. Coates justified the Customs charges niado last year affecting the secondary industries, and contended that despite criticism it had given encouragement. : "One hears quite a lot about industries," said the Primo Minister, ''and I am afraid those who are up against economic difficulties are a little prone tv seize at palliatives in the shape of temporary measures, whereas facts now reveal that so far as secondary industries are concerned, the Customs Tariff dealt with last session of Parliament did give encouragement. But we must remember that the main principle observed -was that our industries in Now Zealand must be askod to com-' pete with the outside article, and that total prohibition of imports will not be contemplated.'' The timber industry had. received undoubted benefit, and a glance at the importations since the tariff was passed afforded convincing proof of that fact. The- Government also had set out to use New Zealand-produced coal for the railways, and to-day, from practically using a negligible quantity the railways were using from 70 per cent, to 75 per cent, of New Zealand coal. New Zealand-grown timber was now almost exclusively used for State requirements. Forestry had also been advanced many years, not only by the State, but also by privato enterprise. Dealing briefly with the primary industries, Mr. Coates said that prodigious work had been done in pursuance of the Government's policy to render assistance to those on the land. He alluded to the benefits conferred by scientific research to both primary and secondary industries, and said that with the co-operation of scientific institutions, by linking up the. Agricultural Department, meat boards, dairy boards, dairy companies, freezing companies, wheat growers, pastoralists' organisation; by the co-operating of the Lincoln College and the Massey College with the assistance of the Empire Marketing Board and the Science and Research Department, not only could our exportable products be brought to tho highest standard, but two blades of grass could be made to grow where- one was grown-before, and grass could be made to grow where none grew before.