THE HARVESTER TRUST.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5733, 31 October 1905, Page 5

THE HARVESTER TRUST.

GOVERNMENT’S BILL. AMENDED PROPOSALS. The Agricultural Implement Mann*faoture, Importation and Sales Bill was further considered by the House of Re-presenta-tives. When the bill was put- into committee Mi* Massey ashed the Premier wh*at ho proposed to do with regard to the> bill. Mr Seddon thought members, Binco the previous discussion on the bill, had come to understand it better. Ho understood members were agreeable to the removal of the restrictions on material used in the manufacture of agricultural implements. As to tho financial part, ho proposed to meet tho objections by proriding for the payment of a 20 pci cent, subsidy in the orcut of tho local manufacturers being compelled to fight the trusts within tho period of tint next assembling of Parliament, if tha Board recommended that it was necessary to do so. Mr Massey did not think they would ho called upon to pay a shilling by way of bonus, hut ho thought if the Board recommended that something should ho done in tho way of protecting tho implement manufacturers against unfair competition, tho proper way was to bring down a bill to Parliament to deal with the matter, Tho Board of Inquiry set up under tho bill was amended to comprise thePresident of tho Arbitration Court (chairman), tho president for tho time being of tho Farmers’ "Union, the president of tho Canterbury Industrial Association, and a representative each of the Trades and Labour Council and tho Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The act is to continue in operation, until tho first day of August, 1000. The following now clause was intro, dixeed by Governor’s message:— In any caso where the Board recommends that relief be granted, it shall ho lawful for tho Commissioner to grant to tho manufacturers of implements in New Zealand such bonus, not. exceeding 33 per cent,, as he deems, necessary to enable manufacturers to compote with importers of such implements. The right to such bonus shall bo subject to such terms and conditions aa tile Governor-in-Couneil thinks fit to impose. Whenever it is proved to the satisfaction of the Collector that duty-paid materials have boon used in tho construction of any implement he shall refund to the manufacturer of such implement tho amount of duty paid outlie materials so used. For the purposes of this section “ma, terials” include parts of such implements that cannot advantageously be manufactured in New Zealand. The clause was added to tho bill, which passed its final stages. When the bill was before tho Legislative Council, the Hon Mr Rigg complained that the farming community was over-represented on the Board. Hein ore d m committee to delete “the president of tho Farmers’ "Union” fr’om the Board.—Lost on the voices. The Hon Mr Bolt moved to strike off tho Boa -d tho president of tho Industrial Association.—Lost by 16 votes to 2. The bill passed its final stages. MIESS ASSOCIATION. BLENHEIM, October 30. At a meeting of tho A. and P. Association’s Committee on Saturday, a letter was received from the International Harvester Company defining the agreement entered into by subscribing companies, and justifying its operations. The president said the pro sent time was very inopportune to deal with the matter, seeing that all imple-ment-makers, including the Harvestei Trust, were exhibiting at the forthcoming Marlborough show. Members approved this sentiment, and no action was taken.