BOARD OF INDUSTRIES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 826, 3 October 1916, Page 3

BOARD OF INDUSTRIES.

TARIFF BEING CONSIDERED. PROPOSALS FOR THE FUTURE. The Board of Trades and Industries met last evening, Mr VV. A. Jainieson presiding in the absence of the president, Mr J. A. Frostiek. Mr Frostick wrote suggesting that as he was frequently absent from Christchurch it might be wise for the exe-

culive to elect its own chairman, he (Mi' Frostick) to be ex officio a member of all committees. The Farmers' Union wrote stating that it would be pleased to receive a deputation from the Board of Industries at its next meeting. The chairman explained that a committee had been set up to deal with, the matter, and would meet the Fanners' Union on October 25.

The chairman said that the public meeting at the Chamber of Commerce had been very successful, and the address delivered by Mr Frostick had been one of the very best ever delivered on the subject of trade and industry in Christchurch. It had attracted wide attention. At the meeting that evening it would be advisable for them to discuss the questions of procedure and policy.

The secretary said that Mr Fros-1 tick had left a memo, suggesting that! a scheme of inquiry and investigation should be devised, and that a return should be prepared showing the amount of capital invested in! the principal industries, in land,! capital, and plant per unit of work-; ers, and a comparison made with Aus-j tralia. Mr Frostick also suggested; that an endeavour should be made! to prove to the public that nothing in the movement would tolerate cost-' ly production arising from inadequate and inefficient plant; also that! steps should be taken to secure the| appointment of a commission to tour; other countries after the war audi secure information relative to im-j proved methods of industry. The chairman said that it would be. advisable to appoint a committee to: go into the question of revision of i the tariff. | Mr Horsley said that he had been informed by a gentleman in the Customs Department that immediate revision of the tariff was not probable. The time was opportune, he thought, to ask the Government for protection for new industries. I

Mr P. Goodsir said that the tariff was the most important question of all, but he questioned whether it was possible for one district alone to grapple with it, and he wanted to know what steps had been taken to acquaint other districts with what was being done in Christchurch.

The chairman said that Auckland had appointed a commission to investigate the Christchurch Board of Industries' plan. He would suggest that between now and the next meeting members should give consideration to the tariff question, and it could then be thoroughly discussed at the next executive meeting. He agreed with Mr Horsley that the time had arrived when they should consider what new industries could be established, and that, as labour was receiving from the Arbitration Court certain war bonuses, industries also should receive protection. Mr J. Black suggested a series of questions for discussion. Mr Soper said that his section (printing) was collecting infonna-

I lion touching the industry in the other centres, relative to what pro-{ teetion was required in that and I allied industries. When that information had been collected it would be deal] with by the executive of! Ihe section, after which its proposals] would be forwarded to the Board of j Industries.

The chairman suggested that the secretary should be instructed to' communicate with the chairman of j each section suggesting that they! should lake into consideration what! protection they would require, and! to report to the next meeting. I Mr Soper said that he did not think his section would be ready to report 1 at the next meeting. He would like! to point out that whereas the tariff on foreign goods in his industry was 1 3d per lb, Australia growled be-1 cause the tariff there was only 8d and l()d per lb.

Mr Goodsir said that the leather section would feel itself handicapped until it could get the co-opera-tion of the other centres.

The chairman urged that the disabilities of the other centres were! the same as those of Christchureh. He agreed with Mr Goodsir that in | order to get protection for new and! established industries it would bei necessary to show a bold front to the! Government. The secretary said that Mr Frostick's opinion coincided with that expressed by Mr Black, that it would; be better for the local movement 1 to first get its own house in order,| collect facts and figures, and make definite proposals before soliciting! the co-operation of other centres. On the motion of Mr Keir the chairman's proposal that the sections should take the tariff question into] consideration and report to the next meeting was carried. The chairman raised the question of the representation of the Farmers' Union and the Trades and Labour Council.

The secretary said that provision had been made for three representatives of the farming industry to sit on the board. The chairman declared that it was absolutely necessary that the movement should have the support of the Trades and Labour councils, and it was decided to communicate with the council asking whether it had yet appointed its representatives, and inviting it to do so.

It was decided to have Mr Frostick's speech on local industries printed and circulated among the members, New Zealand-made paper to be used.

Mr J. Keir said that after the public meeting he had had a conversation with Mr G. T. Booth, and that gentleman had said that now that the tariff question had been well discussed it might be advisable to acquaint the public with some other aspect of the Board of Industries' proposals, and not create the idea that they were merely a band of manufacturers out to secure increased tariff. Personally, he agreed with that opinion, and he suggested that Professor Easteriield, who was to lecture to the Philosophical Society on the establishment of new industries, should be heard by members, and if his opinions were in line with those of their organisation he might be secured to give a lecture. It was decided to accept the suggestion.