THE PASSING YEAR

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 6089, 22 December 1906, Page 10

THE PASSING YEAR

ENGINEERING TRADES REVIEWED. PROSPECTS FOR 1!)07. In the course of a visit to tho varioiu iron foundries and engineering shops ii ‘ tuo city u ol this journa. gleaned a lew items regarding the volume of trade passing during the yea: ; now closing, and the prospects lor tin j future. I All firms have kept full staffs cmxdoy ' od during the year, but the work ha? ; exhibited a changed character from tha' of previous yoaiv>. This change is 10l , lowing on the introduction of suction ga< producer power plants, which means th< deposition ot. a corresponding power ir steam engines, etc.,-and lees repair worl ; in connection with boilers and engines ' Shipping has contributed a good dea' to the -work of tho larger engineering shops, in addition to which the sawmill- : ing and naxiu.iiang industries have sent along a considerable amount oi work in connection with the the manufacture oJ Steam iog-hauiers, stiippers, etc. Nearly all have piohled largely by the continuous and increasing amount of general building operations proceeding ii: and around Wellington, but more especially by reason ot the number of new brick structures in the busier sectionc ot the city. lii tht.ee huge edifices such as, for instance, tho Grand Hotel and Nathan's new warehouse, an immense quantity of ironwork is used—columns, gmlcrs, and the hundred and one type: of ornauicijtai ironwork that goes to the cihuellisimiont oi these architectural giants There is also a steady trade in the manufacture of fittings for smaller buildings. A new feature in local work has come into prominence lately. This is the manufacture oi the steel channels, or iramework on which all the upper structure of tho tramway cars is carried. Several have been made already, 'and as the service extends and more cars ■Tare needed, there will be a good deal [of this class of work to be done. Range* ; making, etc., has maintained a steady i level. 1 Altogether, the year's business Is summed up by the ironmasters as a fairly ! satisfactory one.showing improvement on former years. The prospects for the future are bright in some respects, though j in others the outlook is obscured by that ! at present unknown quantity—tariff reform, of which we shall say a few words pres ntly. Th re is every reason to an- ; ticipate a continuance of the present activity of the general building trade, in addition -to which the erection of new business 'premises on the site of the fire* sw:*pt block in Lambtoir quay promises ! a great deal of work. | In considering future prospects the question of tariff reform comps into promi’-ence once more. A larg' amount of finished ironwork is imported into the colony, which, with gas producer plants, 1 pay's no duty. The ironmasters urge that if they were accorded some protection against the cheap"labour of other countries by tho - imposition of a duty that would bring these imports into lino with steam engines, for example, colonial firms would be able to go in for manufacturing them. At present those branches of industry are impossible locally, and, as has been shown, gas producer plants are cutting into an important part of th'' local factors’ business. In these circumstances the- interests of tho ironworkers' industry of the colony are to a great extent handicapped by present tariff seal's. and the masters aro united in urging that one of the fist matters that should be undertaken by Parliament next session is th* consideration of a readjustment of import duties.