DOMINION’S INDUSTRIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 September 1925, Page 5

DOMINION’S INDUSTRIES.

MORIE RROTKICfI'IOiN .WANTED. <BT TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION . WEUdJLNGTON, Sep. 28. Ait the annual conference oi the New Zealand Manufacturers’: Association m Wellington the question of submitting a, questionaire to Parliamentary candidates as to whether they were in favour of tv protective tariff was discussed. Mr. A. AY. Parker (Christchurch); in formally moving that a. questioniaife be submitted. emphasised the necessity of giving New Zealand mtvnnf act Virens adequate protection. ’ Mr. L. T. Watkins (the president) said the secondary .industries' of New Zealand, had now assumed such proportions as to justify their being fostered by the 'Government. The Manufacturers’ Association had no desire to go into politics nor to start a. new party, but they considered this question one of national importance, and one on with each candidate for Parliament should give a. definite reply. (Hear, hear). Mr. L. R. Partridge said that this was the m.dst important matter which was before the conference. Many of New Zealand * industries were languishing for want of assistance. He thought that manufacturers should not mince matters in this- connection. They should go as far as possible to get a* high a protection as they 1 could. Mr. W. Woolf: “We have no protective tariff at present. We have a protective tariff for the purpose of collecting revenue, hut that is merejy an accidental one.”

Continuing, Mr. Partridge said that it was not a. question of whether manufacturers wanted <a little more protection again*!, imports. What was wanted was that they ..should pledge themselves whole heartedly for protection. Had they such protection he was sure that much of the money which was now going overseas would remain in New Zealand, providing further work for. the industrial population. This would act as a potent factor in increasing the population of the country. The questionaire was unanimously adopted.