DOMINION INDUSTRIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10207, 18 February 1919, Page 5

DOMINION INDUSTRIES

FARM IMPLEMENTS MORE OFFICIAL ENCOURAGEMENT ADVOCATED. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, February 17. Before the Industries Committee today, .Mr Frank Cooper, representing th© engineering and agricultural implement industries, urged the establishment of a real Department of Industries. There was, he said, special need for tariff assistance in this industry, which at present was unprotected. If properly developed, 500 more youths would be converted into skilled artisans annually. Without provision to meet additional competition by other countries the position would become worse than before the war. H© was not in favour of the importation of an American expert engineer, but considered a better plan would be to enable’ New Zealand manufacturers to visit other countries and study advanced methods. George T. Booth said his firm’s disc harrows had been copied in other parts of the world. He considered New Zealand firms could manufacture the 1300 harrows at present being imported into Now Zealand by agricultural implement companies. There was no reason why wo should not also bo a manufacturing country. He-would like to see the Industries Department .run by business men. This department should give assistance to manufacturers or else guarantee dividends for a certain number of years after becoming satisfied that an industry was likely to bo successful. James Keir, representing P. and D. Duncan, in speaking of the New Zealand plough, stated that in the Dominion they bad for forty-eight yearn a better plough than had ever been used in America or Britain. As an instance of the conservatism of the farmer in the Old Country, he stated that a returned soldier had recently seen in Ireland a single-furrow plough being drawn by four horses and worked by three men. He advocated., a 50 per cent, duty on imports, which could he made in the Dominion, and i 25 per cent, preferential duty on all implements manufactured in Britain. These duties, ho said, would greatly increase the industry in New Zealand, and would give employment to a large number of returned soldiers. He favoured the importation of experts from Britain or America to advise as to modem methods, and said the Government should in turn send at the State’s expense manufacturers to foreign countries so ’as to bring back Valuable information. He- istrongly advocated the Government taking over the ferry service, with a view to getting better facilities for shipment between the two islands. He complained that farmers did not buy direct from the manufacturer, and laid that the elimination of the midUeman would mean a great reduction in agents’ commissions, which amounted to 13 per cent, of the value of the implements sold., In reply to a question from Ml Luke, the witness strongly disapproved of any proposal which made tor undue State control. “I don’t believe in any mere State control than is absolutely necessary,” he said. Professors Chilton, Farr and Evans advocated better grants for scientific research work; Referring to the waste of coal, the last-named said that there should he,, first, a much greater use of gaseous fuel; secondly, a • much greater use of electric power; thirdly, economy in coal by sending it to some consumers in partially carbonised forms, to others in the form of oil, and,to others in various forms vhieh, would pay for the carbonisation. W.„ Nichblls and F. Robson contended that more wool should he scoured inVNew Zealand and the byproducts ’saved. Manufacturers of gelatine, glue, pearl .barley, and split peas urged that these; industries should he encouraged by a’ protective tariff. The Committee adjourned till tomorrow.