INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE

Evening Star, Issue 17636, 15 April 1921, Page 3

INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE

DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES WELCOMED IN DUNEDIN. Upon the conclusion of the set business of tho Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association at the annual meeting last night, in the SavoyLounge, refreshments were served and the toast of “ The King ” honored. Mr H. F. Sincook then proposed the toast of “ The Department of Industries and Commerce,” coupled with tho names of Mr W. G. M’Donalcl (chairman of the Board of Trade) and Mr J. W. Collin (secretary). Tho department had, said the mover, done infinite good to our primary products, and tho hope was entertained that it would become equally helpful to our secondary products—our industries—but it was only by manufacturers giving tho department information and a lead that, they could hope to have the best results brought about. It could not bo expected that the department would discover everything for itself. It was fortunate that tho department had as its head a man like Mr M’Donald, whose sympathies ware with tho development of industries. Tho Government no doubt realised that, owing to taxation, it was a 50 per cent, preference shareholder in all manufacturing industries, and tho department probably saw that, too, and would be able to gain the sympathetic ear of tho Government in regard to secondary industries. As our population increased our manufactures must necessarily increase, and the department could do much good by encouraging them; but he trusted that tho help afforded would never become hurtful by political interference. As to tho Prices Investigation Tribunal, he threw out tho suggestion that, in view of the fact that many merchants and traders were selling under cost, the tribunal might take this into consideration and reimburse such losers from the fines put upon the persons who had been selling above cost. (Laughter.) Mr W. G. M’Donald, in responding to tho toast, thanked Mr Sincock for the very cordial manner in which it had been proposed, and the nice things he had said. The department had not been long in existence, but ho thought it had already done good work. All the requests so far made by manufacturers to the department had been granted. Ono of those was as to the rales for advertising manufactures on the railways. As a result of tho intervention of his department tho Railway Department had. agreed to charge manufacturers on the lowest scale that was paid by the Health Department. Another matter was that the department had placed at the disposal _of tho promoters of the Dominion Exhibition tho services of tho officer who managed the Now Zealand exhibit at the San Francisco Exhibition. Again, the department had in course of preparation a manufacturers’ directory, as requested, and lids should prove a very useful publication. If the test applied was the proportion of requests granted, he thought 100 per cent, was a good record. The parent body of the department was the Board of Trade, which was, perhaps, the most criticised body of men in tho Dominion. This was natural, as it was born in a time of trial. As a result of the Great War tho world had to go to school again, and the Board of Trade was asked to solve problems that, with their knowledge and experience, were practically insoluble. Ho hoped the Department of Industries would be able to live down its horrid past, and bn to tho industrialists what the Agricultural Department was to the primary producers. It was a dual body, and if it bad had more to do with its commercial side than with the industrial, perhaps that was only natural. It had had to interfere with distribution, but ho hoped it had succeeded in doing so with the least friction, and probably with less than in any country affected by the war. It would now be able to pay more attention to the industrial side of its duties. The industrial world should .object strongly to the application of the word “producer" only to the raiser of primary produce. The manufacturer was just as much a producer as tho farmer. As for his department, if it had the faults of youth, it had at least one of its virtues—that, of enthusiasm, _ He could claim that its officers had more ability, judgment, and enthusiasm than those of any other public department. (Laughter.) He was pleased to hear a speaker refer to it as “our own” department. That was its aim—to make manufacturers regard it in that light. There was only one way by which it could be of real use to the manufacturer, and that was by letting it bo known in what way he could best be served. They must let. the department know what their problems were before it could solve tbem. There was ono thing he must ask them to do, and that was. to reconsider at the earliest possible moment their deter, mination to secede from the New Zerjand Industrial Corporation. In his opinion, this was a mistake. Each community _ had its own characteristics, and the industrial world of New Zealand would suffer a great loss if Dunedin withdrew from its counsels. Ho hoped that Dunedin would re-examine the position and see whether it was not possible to find some common ground on which ! he industrialists of New Zealand could have tho benefit of Dunedin judgment, shrewdness, and caution. However, whether Dunedin' belonged or did not belong to the Industrial Corporation, he wanted to reciprocate with Dunedin in cverv wav—his department was strong on reciprocity, and it, would be, the fault of the people here if they did not, make use of it. In conclusion, Mr M’Donald complimented Mr Hayward upon the way ho had presented his case before the Tariff Commission, saying that this had resulted in economy of time. Before the social closed Mr Havwa-d referred to Mr MDonald's remarks ab,out withdrawing from the Industrial Corporation. Dunedin was not unite so isolated in ideas as Mr M'Dona.ld hart been led to believe. The manufacturers here were desirous and willing to co-operate with other centres in anythin" to the advantage of manufacturers generally, but they held that at present it would be no benefit to either other places or Dunedin to subscribe to the conditions suggested at the Auckland conference.