MARTON, October 16.

Otago Witness, Issue 2692, 18 October 1905, Page 25

MARTON, October 16.

speaking at a meeting of the Marton ■ branch of the Farmers' Union, Mr W. J. ( Birch, as a member of the union's Colonial ; Advisory Committee, stated that the com- : mittee had informed the implement makers I of Christchurch that it supported the view t of the North Canterbury Executive. This i was to the- effect that the executive was i against any increase in the tariff, but i would recommend farmers to support < locally-made implements. WELLINGTON. October 12. i Workers and wives of workers in the im- i

plement workshops as well as others intei ested in the industries of Now Zealand, t the number of several thousands, petitions ; Parliament to-day regarding the operation in New Zealand of the American Harvests Trust. They sugested an import duty c 40 per cent, on goods sold here by the trust In conclusion, they stated that they con: mended the above humble request to th House with the conviction that steps woul be taken to maintain the present high stanc ard of living that the workers of New Zea land enjoy. The petitions will be considere by the Labour Bills Committee. In replying to-day to Mr Massey's ques tion as to whether the Government will giw Parliament an opportunity of placing on th free tariff list all materials required in tin manufacture of agricultural implements, th< Commissioner of Customs said : " The com missioner has power to grant to the makers of duty free implements and machinery i refund of duty paid on the materials use( in tlie 'manufacture thereof. On the manu facturers interested submitting particular of their claims to me through the collector the same will be dealt with immediately so that the interests of manufacturers an< those persons using the implements am machinery may be dealt with on equitabl« lines." CHRISTCHURCH, October 12. Representatives of the Labour Union an* firms engaged in the manufacture of agr; cultural machinery left for Wellington tc night to interview the Government re th Harvester Trust, and to ask that a sul stantial d>nty should be placed on importe machinery and the duty removed on im ported raw material. About 500 workme; employed at the different agricultural shop marched in procession to the railway station where speeches were delivered by the d-e parting delegates.