DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7001, 25 April 1884, Page 5

DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS.

[Br TKLXGBAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

' Dunedin, Wednesday. A deputation from the Trades and Labour Council waited on Major Atkinson to-day (being introduced by Mr. Braoken, M.H.R }, to ask that city constituencies should be amalgamated, and that local industries should be encouraged. Major Atkinaon pointed out that he had announced the amalgamation of city constitnencies as part of tho Government policy in his speech at Ha'wera. A3 regarded local industries, he concurred with the deputation regarding the advisability of getting everything done locally that they could get done properly and (veil. It was, however, impossible to get locomotives built here. If tenders were called for them, they would only be imported and made up in the shops here by the local firms. The Government were doing all they could in the manufacture of rolling stock in the colony. Be believed everything should begot here that could be got, even if the cost were ten per cent, above the imported article.

A_ deputation from the recently-formed Mining Protection Association waited on the Hon. Mr. Rolleaton this morning to ask—(l) That mining companies should be exempted from property tax, or that it should be made payable according to dividends; and (2) that an inspector should be appointed to report periodically on mines, and that no company should be allowed to start without a certificate from this inspeotJr, which would tend to do away with bogus companies. The spokesman (Mr. Quick) said nearly everyone present had lost a great deal o£ money in mining speculations, and he believed he was right in stating that there was not one gentleman in the room who would not be very glad to get out of mining speculation with as much money as he had pat in to it. After remarks from several gentlemen, Mr. Rolleston said : — You want 'the Government to take you, gentlemen, under their epecial protection, and do for you that which you should fairly do for yourselves. You have involved thousands of pounds. You shonld have satisfied yourselves as to the state of affairs by getting advice, and you can't expect the Government to pay for that advice. We are doing as much as we can in the interests of the public generally, and have an inspector constantly going the rounds. Besides this we are assisting, by the importation of drills and in various other ways, to, promote the industry. 1 do not think it is the business of the Government to protect people dealing ia mining." No reply was given to the question re property tax. ■ ......