ENGINEERING INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7141, 31 May 1910, Page 1

ENGINEERING INDUSTRY

DEPUTATION TO HON. J. A. MILLAR 2"HES3 ASSOCIATION, V DUNEDIN, May 30. A deputation representing engineers and irorrfounders waited upon, the Hon. J. A. Millar t»rday with, regard to the duty on parts of dredging machinery. Mr Gillies said the trade was stagnant at the- present, and no firm was employing more than 50 per cent, of the- men it employed a, few years. ago. They would like the Minister to bringthe subject under the notice of his colleague in charge of the Customs Department. They had men knocking about the town, and their machinery was standing idle. There were other matters in which they thought Mr Millar, as Minister of Railways,, might do much. One of these was in connection with the letting of Government railway contracts. They thought in reference to this matter there should bo a stipulation that anything that could be manufactured in the Dominion should be so manufactured. Mr Gillies made reference to the importation of manganese pins, and urged that facilities should be afforded local manufacturers;to participate in Government railway contractsrf

Mr Millar said he would make representations to the Hon. Mr Ton-Ids and put the matter before him. Different officers, placed different interpretations upon the matter, and it would be well to endeavour to .{jet uniformity. The intention had been to keep as much: work as possible in the country for the people. As to the second point, he was not aware that: the Government got -anything at all from the Home Country, because, as they knew, the Government manufactured pretty well all its own. Instructions had. been given to the department that'.nothing should be sent for out of the country that could be made in it. With tho exception of boiler flanges he did not know of anything for the Railway Department that was manufactured away. Of course, tenders for supplies were always included in- the public works schedule.. If _thero was anything coming in from outside it would soon bs put a stop to. If the deputation supplied him with a list of things that could be manufactured here he would give them his attention.