ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL MANUFACTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13134, 24 March 1906, Page 5

ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL MANUFACTURES.

$ . A CHPISTCHUIiCH MOVEMENT. PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE TARIFF. [BY TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] (Jiiii isreulieu, Friday. Thk report of the joint committee of the Canterbury Industrial Association and the Trades and Labour Council, appointed' to consider the question of the promotion and encouragement of local mainufactures and productions, was adopted by the Industrial Association at the quarterly meeting to-night. It had been previously adopted by the Trades and Labour Council. The committee interviewed ;ti large number of manufacturers, retailers, and workers, dealing with all the principal industries, and unanimously came to the following conclusions : — 1. That our local industries and productions in some instances are not keeping pace with the general increase of trade ill the colony, and that this is caused by greater importations and cutting of prices by importers, and that the cheap labour in foreign countries in many brandies enables the importer to undersell the local manufacturer. 2. That the tariff should be amended by taking off ail I dut'ies on raw materials used by our manufacturers, which raw* materia) is not, or is not likely, to be produced in this colony, and by an increase of duty in certain directions to meet the dumping of the surplus manufactures from other countries. 3. That the attention of the Government should be drawn to the necessity of compulsory branding of.all. New, Zealand-made goods "Made in New Zealand." ' 4. That the workers on the whole are loyal to the cause of local industry, but this cannot be said of all classes of the community. 5. That a card should be printed in an attractive form, setting forth the desirability of encouraging locail manufactures and productions from a patriotic point of view. Such card, with the consent of the Education Boards, to be placed in every school of the colony, in the hope that it will educate the rising generation to take a,ii interest in the cause of local industry. , 6. That the aid of the Trades and Labour Councils, unions, industrial associations, and public bodies should be utilised to further the advancement of local industries/ 7. That this committee strongly urges that the Government and all bodies dealing with pubjic expenditure should be requested to give preference wherever possible to the manufactures and productions of the colony. The cpmmittee also make for the effectual carrying out of the work outlined in the report, the most important being as follows : — 1. That the urgent necessity of amending the tariff as early as possible next session, in the direction indicated in the report should be impressed upon the Premier by deputation. 2. That the Premier be approached with a request that the printing and distribution of the report should be undertaken by the Government. 3. That the question of the formation of an industrial league to be open to anyone over the age of sixteen be considered. Every member should pledge himself to give preference whenever possible to our own manufactures and productions.

4. That the joint committee should remain a standing committee, the chairman being empowered to call a meeting at anytime to discuss matters mutually affecting the interests of the employer and employee.