MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19350, 10 December 1924, Page 5

MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the Executive of the Manufacturers’ Association was held last night. The president (Mr Forsyth Johnston) occupied the chair. The Chairman welcomed Mr R. Guddie, who has just returned from a trip to the Old Country, to the meeting. Mr Ouddie said he was glad to be back with thorn. Ho hud not during his travels seen any country that ho liked better than New Zealand nor any city ho would like to live in better than Dunedin. —(“Hear, hear.’’) He had brought the kind regards to members of Mr \V. E. C. Reid, the association’s secretary. Mr Reid was looking particularly well, and was working very hard. He had no soft job as assistant '.commissioner for New Zealand at the Wembley Exhibition. Mr A. F. Roberts, the commissioner, and the secretary, had also had a strenuous time, and had done very good work. —("Hear, hear.”) The Secretory (Mr G. Reid) read the letter which had been forwarded by him to the Minister of Public vVorks regarding the complaint made by Messrs Stevenson Cook in connection with alleged lack of detail by the department when calling for tenders for the head gates at the Lake Coleridge Power Station. He said that no reply had so far been received from the department. The secretary was congratulate! by the chairman and members on the excellent manner in which he summarised the complaint of the Dunedin firm and placed the position fairly before the department. Mr G. Craig, Controller of Customs, wrote informing the executive that its representations with respect to the question of removing depreciated currency duty from goods imported from Germany, Austria, and Hungary would receive careful consideration. He might say, however, that the allegation had been made that the currency of Germany was not now depreciated. If this was satisfactorily established there would be no legal authority for retaining the duties. Notification would be Published in tho New Zealand Gazette whe# the matter was decided. —The Chairman said they could do nothing in the face ot tho communication which had been received. Tho Minister of Customs, me Hon. Dowmo Stewart, was at present in Dunedin, and no doubt they could interview him on the matter before he returned to Wellington.— It was decided to receive the letter in tho meantime. . Considerable correspondence was read in connection with opening trade direct with Hamilton by steamer up t,.e Waikato River. It stated that the Progress, which had come to Dunedin to lake in cargo for Hamilton, had not received much cargo, and that the experiment had nof proved successful. Tne vessel had only got two and a-half tons of cargo from Dunedin. The Secretary said that the schedule of charges to Hamilton oy steamer showed a considerable saving. Mr Lough said it was the buyers look out. If they did not want the cargo that way that was the end of it. Mr Reid said that Dunedin merchants were not inclined to Break their connections with Auckland houses, and were inclined to trade through them. He had written to tho Hamilton Chamber of Commerce stating that it was imperative to have a regular shipping service. He had gone to a Tot of trouble to give information to prospective shippers, but. as tfiey saw, the lespoas© had not been very satisfactory. It was decided that the secretary should ■ forward a reply to the chamber stating the position from the Dunedin merchants’ point of view. It was decided to vote £lO 10s to the cost of conducting the organisation set up to promote the passing of the loan to construct Anzao Highway. Mr W. R. Hayward reported on the result of the investigations lie had made during his tour of the dominion in regard to the secondary industries’ court at the Exhibition. He said there was ho doubt they would got a large number of exhibits from Auckland and Wellington. There was no doubt there would be a large number of exhibits from all tho main centres, and also from tho smaller centres. They were going to have a very good industries’ court. They wanted to ascertain, however, how much space they would require, and then allocate the space to the various associations. They had got good committees set up in every centre to deal with the primary exhibits.

Mr Reid said that in only three days’ canvass in Dunedin they had received applications for 20,000 ft of space for the secondary industries’ exhibits, and there was only 53,000 ft allotted. The Chairman said they would be able to get considerably more space if it was required. Mr Hayward said there was no doubt additional space would be required. The Chairman said ho thought they would be safe in advising tho Exhibition Company that they wanted more than 35,000 ft space. • Mr Hayward said they could get 62,000 ft of space.

It was decided to recommend the special committee set up to deal with the Industries’ Court to take steps to ascertain the whole space which would be required as early as possible.

A letter was received from the Auckland Industrial Association regarding several propaganda schemes. It considered there was a necessity of impressing on tho people of New Zealand that they should support their own industries. A lengthy list ot proposed schemes of propaganda was enclosed. —lt was decided to ask Mr T. Somerville to go into the matter and report to tho next meeting of the executive. On the motion of tho chairman, the following resolution was adopted :—“That the executive of the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association desires to express its approval of tho proposed publication. New Zealand To-day, and strongly recommends the members of the association to give their warm support, recognising its great possibilities as the most comprehensive and elaborate piece of publicity yet undertaken in Otago.” —Mr V. E. Pago, tho publisher, was present at the meeting and addressed those present.