Industrial Slai in Infancy

NZ Truth, Issue 1031, 29 August 1925, Page 6

Industrial Slai m Infancy

Some time ago "Truth" placed before the public m general and t'Vie ■legislators #fv the country m particular, the ruihatibri* wiiich ;has been brought down on a> humble, hardworking member of the, community through '•■■■• the operation- of the recent motor legislcitioii;'; This-,was.Mr. F. J. Lake, of Auckland, tliß 'licensee of a patent for the' manufacture of motor number plates which has become useless through the importation of the American-made article. It was, shown that Mr. .Lake, besides having invested his all m the Venture, had borrowed to the limit /of his ability commensurate with a sound business sense and that he' had been able, by hard work and unremitting industry, to establish a business, which promised a reasonable living for' his wife and eighjt of a family. Largely through' the. instrumentality of Messrs. "Bartram and Savage, of Auckland, aided by the publicity given the matter •:■ througph the widespread influence '/of this publication, the position was. brought before the House of Representatives and

passed on to the Parliamentary Committee, which, after due consideration, this week recommended the petition to the Government for favorable consideration. '

It now lies with the House of Representatives to see that the effect of the damage done is fully met. I-iere is a; working. man who has built up: a business which was showing a return of anything up to £100 per month, protected by a patent right which has 13 years to run. The destruction of the embryo industry, which has meant the taking, away of the bread and butter supply for ten human beings was not brought about by accident The responsible Minister knew' full well that this industry . existed and would be vitally affected if a certain course, was followed. The Government took the step of indicating preference for the foreign article to the homemade m the full knowledge of the results, and it is now the 'Government's moral duty,; if not. legal responsibility, to make good the financial loss which lias been suffered, as well as to give adequate compensation.