THE IRON INDUSTRY.

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1911, Page 1

THE IRON INDUSTRY.

.PREMIER FAVORS NATIONALI-

SATION

(Pe*- P;ess Association.)

WESLLIXGTON Sept 20.

A large ■deputation representing employers and employees in the New Zealand iron industry waited on the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), and the Minriste-r of .Customs' (Hon. R. MsKenzie), this evening, asking for tariff protection to the. extent of 33 1-3 per cent duty.

■Mr D. MCLaren M.P., who introduced tha doputfition, remarked that last year a 'similar deputation was informed that a report would represcned by a Government officia.l showing the condition of .the industry, but this had not ibeen- published.

Mr Sullivan, President of the "Canterbury Trades Council, said that the Trades Councils throughout th& Do-, minion were unanimous in desiring- a 33 1-3' duty on imported ironwork. There hai teen a rapid ■climunition in local employment while 'the imports hat" gone up to one million sterling- per annum. NY J. E. L.Tdrensorv said that the trade only war. tod the duty for' machinery which could be made in New Zealand. The capital n'nv^sted in the industry ' wa* /833.000. The Government •calloc'ted in 'duty only 4.43 per cent of the vakr-> of imported machinery which Canada irollected 15-81 ncr "cent. Mr Young", Secretary of the Fer'era- , tian' of Labour, said that the ironmas r tei's would consent to a Board bcin.q- ( set up to see that ifgiven reasonable protection the manufacturers would not unduly charge th purchasers. Mr. D. Robertson/ of Wellington, said protection "was needed to save thp. industry from collapse. In reply, the Prinvj Minster saul that tariff revisions could not be undertaken this session. However, he hoped this session to introduce \cgUlatio,ii making- provision in, connection with the latent resources of New Zealand. He had at the pre-sent moment an offer to establish an iron industry in this country. It required ;£5f10,000 in the poinion of those who knew. The term of year? was lon&Tr than the Government was prepared to- hnnd over an important industry of the kind to anyone, for it was estimated that £600,000 would b'j necessary to have a thoroughly / up-to-date scientific plant to- enable everything we rcqivred to be manufactured nn Ncav Zealand in the' shape of iron and steel The legislation- he proposed, to ask Parliament to pas" -was'- 1 to "give either poWe,r f orf people to carry out the! undertaknn,o- for a' ilimited period of years with' the r'.-ejh-t of acquisition by the Oovomiroenb.of for the Government to natinr.^Kcc .the. industry and provi(7e its owh work He was favourable to the nationalising of our ilron resources. He had always been, but he had to consider whether the Government could as quickly bring- the scheme into ope.rn.tion as a private concern could if the Government stood aside I—say1 — say for tc,n years. If this great industry was started in conjunction with 'Mis natural stores of water -to be controlled. !.y the State it would g'v© New Zealand the strongest position in the world as a manufacturing country. Before very long Goyerhmcint would appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into 'the cost of living-. He -was prepared to include an the scope of the inquiry ■ the, cause 1 of the trouble of the iron industry .and other industries o>f New Zealand. He had no-t the slightest hesitation liri saying, thai if tariff, could bei readjuptnd on scientific lines it would enable many thui.gs on the. deputation's list to be made in New Zealand. Already . the Government had by way if a bonus equal to the amountof freight, endeavoured to assist the oil industry -and a certain amount of reciprocity was expected from that industry. Every country was 'bound to have a certain nuiber of jibs people going ; away but it was desirable ,to provide all possible ■opportunities at 1 home. Government now, for the first time, knew what we wanted by the iron trade.

Mr Fisher suggested that it might be possilb'9 t opass amendments this session which would deal with the engineering industry alone. The Prime Minister replied that then if the leaders of the House agreed nothnViq- could prevent .mcml hers making representation on ibehalf of o'bher industriesMr Poole: They are asking already. Mon Mr R. McKenzie : ; The town, versus country issue would be raised straight away. \ Mr McLean asked' if the Government could proh'iibiH. local bodies purchasing imported iron work out of loan nvciney. : Sir Joseph ' Ward replied that the only remedy was to return men to. the loca.! bodies " plediged te» a proper course. The country would not tolerate legislation of a coercive character. Mr Rotertson : You'll be iback' here after the elections, I. know. (Laughter) Wiill you previse to do something then ? vV;' ■ ' Sir Joseph: I will have a revision Of the tariff next session and will be back- aill right t o carry, it out. (Ap-' plause.) '