CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Mail, 5 February 1902, Page 29

CHRISTCHURCH

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, January 31. ' In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet at the annual meeting of the New. Zealand Ironmasters’ Association, held here to-day, the chairman (Mr John Anderson) explained chat while the association was primarily formed to safeguard the interests of engineering, yet it had done and would, in the future, do much good for labour and the public as well. -The association had, he said, no political bias, and any remarks on the Government could have no political significance, At the same time, the Government had done very little for the engineering and iron industry of the colony. Some time ago the Government had, at a time when all engineering firms were full of orders, called for tenders for iron waggons. The Government was written to and asked if any further orders were likely to be given, as in \ hat case some engineering firms were prepared to put down a special plant. The icply was that, with orders outside the colony, the Government’s own works cor id cope with tlie matter. Orders wore sent out of the colony, and the cost of the imported locomotives was greater than that at which they could be produced in New Zealand. Some years i-po an experiment in locomotive building was tried by private firms in the colony, but tlie Government gave the firms no opportunity of importing the steel castings. _ It was unreasonable to expect colonial private firms to put a locomotive on the rails as quickly as an English or American firm, but Government assistance and patient help "would overcome that defect. If employees here emulated American employees and put no restrictions on their employers’ output, the prospect for labourers and eranloyers would be very much brighter. In the manufacture of agricultural implements the workmen accepted piece work, and the output was so increased that that particular industry was healthy and independent of protective duties. Referring to bridge-building, the address went on to say that until recently it had been imagined that bridges were constructed as cheaply in New Zealand as they could -be imported. The Americans, however, had of late been persuading the Government that this was not so. In. that- matter, however. New Zealand need have no fear, provided.that it had the same conditions as America and the same co-operation on the part of workers, i.e. a willingness to accept piece work or any other m-icle which in all probability would increase their wages.