HARMFUL EFFECTS AND TARIFF

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 September 1927, Page 3

HARMFUL EFFECTS AND TARIFF

BOAT FACTORIES CLOSE.

IMMIGRANTS SPECIALLY

AFFECTED

WELLINGTON, Last Night,

Representatives of boot-manufactur-ing employees interviewed the Ministor of Cus'.or.is stressing the ' inimical effect the tariff alterations would have upon the,ir employment. It was said that two boot factories had closed in Wellington last week and others were working only part time. Amongst those present were a number of men who came out -to New Zealand from England under the assisted immigration scheme contracted to th 0 boot trade for a period of five years. Th»y are specialists in the manufacture of a certain type of shoe and their contract will expir e in about two years. They complain they had been notified by the Immigration Department! tin they must complete their five years' contract; otherwise they would be required to pay the difference between the assisted passage fare which they paid to come out to New Zealand and the full fare. They expressed concern as to their position if they were thrown out of work and it was pointed out that they would be obliged to stay a further two years in the country while there was no scope for their employment in other trades.

One speaker complained of the dumping of boots/in New Zealand and suggested that New Zealand should protect her own boot industry and let England do the same. In his reply to the deputation the Minister (Hon. W. Downie Stewart) stated that he. did not know how the House viewed the problem. But the majority had always been opposed to any tariff increases which were likely to cause th 0 prices of goods to rise. Mr. Stewart said he would take their representations into consideration. There wer e all sorts of side issues that arose. Tanneries for instance asked for protection. Mr. R. McKeen, M.P. (Wellington South), who introduced the deputation, said he hoped that the Minister would b<> able <o snhv- the problem and (■;>.'!blv workers !o b=: employed regularly