THE WINTER SHOW

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11874, 7 July 1924, Page 11

THE WINTER SHOW

SOCIAL FUNCTION FELICITATIDNir'PROM PRIME MINISTER. j.i ii i - > FUTURE OF SEGSONDARY-SNDUS-TRIESr^' 1 The climax to the proceedings at the Winter Show on Saturday was a social supper adjoining the Industrial Exhibition. at which about 200 were present/ Sir John Luke, chairman; of the executive, presided, and amongst those present were the Prime Minister, Right Hon. W. F. Massey, the Minister for Custom?, Hon. W. Downie Stewart, the Mayor, Mr R. A. Wright, Mr John Myers, Col. G. Mitchell (secretary), Dr Raakes (Director of Agriculture), Councillor H.-D.- Bennett, Mr L. R. Partridge, Mr R. Harold Court (representing J. Brinsmead and Son. London), Mr C. J. B. Norwood, and many others. IMPORTANT SECONDARY INDUSTRIES. The Mayor, in proposing the toast of the Wellington Winter Show, coupled with the name of the Prime Minister and several others, said the show had proved itself a credit to the committee and to Wellington. Tho agricultural feature was in its infancy, but the time would come when it would .be comparable with other shows. The industry was making headway and the butter returns would probably he in excess of last year. Primary producers were increasing the herds, depleted during the war. Dairy-' cows showed an increase, bqing now 1,300,900 head, while sheep had increased by.' over l-inlf a million. Prices of wool bad maintained a high level, and of the export trade of the Dominion the agricultural. industry waa responsible for 95 per cent. The cow population of Wellington province was 800,000 and in excess of Taranaki Wellington also led in hemp production. The port of Wellington statistics said much for the district served. They showed that farmers were doing their duty well, and doing their level best to increase the output of Dominion products. EXHIBITION! OF N.Z. GOODS.

They owed everything to the .primary producers so far as their immediate prosperity was concerned, but the secondary industries were also a vital factor in their dives. The products in the industrial section were mainly produced in the Wellington section, although there were a few contributions from outside. Wellington manufacturers were making a multitude of goods, and were doing their level best to Keep pace with the times. The employees had increased by 26,000 in the last decade, and wages paid had increased from 51 millions to 131 millions, the value of the products had risen from 30 millions to 73 millions, and ere long would reach the hundred,,, million mark. Tn the near future ha JL 0 ?®? ’they would have an exhibition* Ygr, Sew Zealandmade goods, and he hoped the manufacturers would reap the reward of 'their industry. .. Regarding the motors exhibition it was & Splendid one, and they were realising that motor-cars were not a luxury, not only lor pleasure.--but a real neoeaaltyThey would; all wish the show prosperity now ind in the future. (Applause.) PRIME MINISTER REPLIES.

The Prime Minister, replying to the toast, said he had beau looking round the {how, and was convinced that it~\RES£ a success. He had been doubtful flppm the point, as he had donhts about tnfir suitaioility of Wellington for such a purpose. But the show had now come to stay l and' would grow. (Applause.) 9° had been speaking for Wellington that afternoon, but after what Mr Wright had said about Wellington province he oould not let it go much longer. Therd was a little part of his kingdom called Pukekohe. where the ’ffixmk *ri£h''*froifi five tot ten acres, and if the farmer did pot get two crops a year at least he' wag considered no good. They could not get an aore of land there under -8250. Those farmers rarely kept horses, hiring a team when necessary, doing the rest with spade and fork. They had done some thing towards keeping - the country going, and their produce was not unknown in Wellington. w- «•* •*-' *•»*-'

BOUGHT LAND IN THE BOOSf. , Those men were prosperous on the whole, although there wtere men vho bought at high prices during the boom, and now had hard work to make ends meet. His sympathy ■ went out to them, and he would like to help them if he could, hut whether they could., do so would be seen later. In dealing with the dairy industry and! the long hours, early and late the men worked the Minister said he hoped soon to eee them working their milking maohines bv electricity. Dealing with the mutton and lamb exports, Mr Massey agreed that they ehould try and get new markets, bnt should on no aocount fall to realise that they now had the hest market in the world and should hold on to it. What the other fellows gained they would hold, and New Zealand would never get it back. Find other markets, but let them not play with the Home market, which was theirs, and they wanted to keep it theirs.

BE SELF, RELIANT. The Hoq. Downfa Stewart also responded, and. dealt more particularly vith secondary industries. He had been very pleased to eee such fine exhibits, and he congratulated the Industrial Association ution what they had done. He- would* like to see them organise visits to other parts of the country, and he would also like M.P-s to visit the factories and see the articles being made. They were adding to the number of employees, adding Co the output, and the value added to raw material in New Zealand was greater than in Australia- It was not of hothouse growth, but it was steady. 'They did not want to be only agricultural, but to have some secondary industries, which would mako them 'better balanced as a country. He had to see if they could, give legitimate assistance to secondary industries. . They had tried to help taom through the to riff*-by freeing raw" -materials, and by giving preference to Brit* ish fanufnctures. The tariff had given a certain amount of satisfaction, and in some cases export trade had been opened up in secondary industries. It had given beneficial results. Skilled workmen were necessary, and he hoped they would train New Zealand born craftsmen and so be able to carry on without imported exports. Young New Zealanders were constantly suggesting improvements which would put them on a level with tradesmen of the Old World. This happened daring the war. He would like industries to be developed.on their own merit, and not to rely too niuch upbft the tariff. In concluding he wished the Winter Show every prosperity. Sir John Luke expressed a few words of appreciation of heln received., <M>oeci-

ally from, Wairarapa and Manawatu, from whore a number of exhibits had been sent. He also thanked the members of the committee and the secretary, Colonel Mitchell, for the splendid work they had done. Air H. L. Rogers also briefly responded and hoped the result of the show would enable them to buy the first few thousand bricks towards a permanent buildfor the winter show. Air L. R. Partridge said the manufacturers believed in a customs tariff, end that the farmer was a protectionist to the backbone. He asked for preference, which was ‘protection under another name. In New Zealand they had between 70,000 and 80.000 people engaged in secondary industries, and the more people were enguged in secondary industries the more people there would be to consume the primary products within the country-. Primary* and- secondary industries must* combine,- and then yrospeeity would*eome-.—Tt fced'-beeo**so in Europe and America. -The two—bbdies . oould work together for their*" 'mutual benefit. The' matter was considered at the conference ip. Auckbuul.- ‘ Not * that they were-going torform-another party, but they did desire more direct representation in Parliament. Mr Downie Stewart had made himself well acquainted with, the secondary industries, and had dona his best to help them.

KINDRED ASOCIATJONS. „ Mr John Afyers.said the show .had given effect to a suggestion made by thd Prime Minister some month? ago, aqd he was sure they had pnt hp & bettor, show than the majority of people expected. They wanted to create a better feeling between town and country, and he believed they had done so. They wore not parochial in their ideas, and hoped that the winter show' would' bring' benefit not only to Wellington but to the whole of the Dominion. Fifty years ago they could, buy butter at 6d lb, eggs at 6d TOl 9d doz, and about four legs of muttoni 'for Is. That did not exist to-day. He remembered a shipment of butter being! sent to Sydney, and when sold realised 2d a. lb, leaving the producers something to pay to the shippers. The speater concluded by urging the necessity of, advertising New ZsuLand and the need fov increasing the population, -ifhioh. would have the effect of decreasing taxationAHe proposed the toast of kindred associations The toast was replied to by repreoen.tatives from Waicarana and Mauawatut other toasts honoured being ’ThelcP-' hfiibitaon” (response Dr Beaked, x-he Harbour Board, proposed by Mr Howard Booth and responded to by Mr H. D. Bon. Several musical items interapered *<he proceedings, contributed by Mr Begonia Blow and Mr Norman Aitken, Mr Harold Whittle rendering efficient service as.accompanist. The proceedings terminated about the bewitching hour. .