Protection.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13438, 9 November 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

Protection.

DO MANUFACTURERS BENEFIT?

SOME DIVERSE OPINIONS,

"MADE IN NEW" ZEALAND?"

Will the new tariff have the effect of developing the industriss of 'the colony? That- question was put to a number of Wellington manufacturers by representatives of the Post, and in the aggregate of answers given there 1 was a dominant note of approval, though condemnation was uttered by some", accompanied with an expiession of belief that something more than a tariff was heeded to; properly build up Nsw Zealand manufacturing-districts. "The cheapening of the raw products that the new tariff effects is sure to help us," remarked one manufacturer, who is m a large way. "I think it may safely be said that it will b? for this good of New Zealand." .■ :

, BETTER CONDITIONS. Bub there were other opinions held. " Tinkering with ..■•the . tariff is not what we want; it is. better labour conditions," commented one manufacturer. , Thera are two opinions held amongst wholesale bootmakers. One> prominent employer of whom the question was asked said; he thought the tariff would hava been better Jeit.un* altered." While alterations were pending it caused great dislocation' of trade, especially in regard to importations. His opinion was that the- boot .manufacturing industry needed no moie protection than it< had under the old .tariff; what really was needed was mors labour—female labour. For a long time past he had had far more work than he could execute; hie limit was the incapacity to procure sufficient labour, and not his inability to get orders. Later in the day another focal manufacturer of boots was questioned on this head, and his reply was very different. "I have been able to secure all the labour I required," he said. - REDUCTION IN SUGAR DUTIES.

. Jam manufacturers will derive a slight benefit from the reduction in sugar duties, but that -will not apply to -this season's output, -which is already finished. Spice makers and confectionery : manufacturers consider that they have been favourably treated in the framing of the tariff, so far as the made by the Pest representative extended. The lowering, of the duties on ray materials was very: much appreciated, and. it was anticipated thakas a result of these the industry would become firmly established. There was still- a ■demand for imported sweets, but it's extent was not nearly so great as it used to be, and : the improved quality of ". colonial sweets, aided by the reductions that were sure to be made in their selling price, was it was hoped, going to reduce : the importations in this line to a negligible quantity. A. trade that is doing well without alteration in the tariff is the saddlery trade. A large manufacturer and importer said he would have been pleased if some reduction had been made-in requisites that he had to import, but he was very pleaeed, nevertheless, because his trade had been left alone. He employed some forty hands, and he was pleased to say ha had plenty of work for them. COMPETITION OUSTED.-

A local industry that seems to have outed all outeide competition is that of fruit preserving. There was a time when Californian fruit was practically the only preserve to be had in New Zealand; but the Nelson and Frimiey preserving companies came into existence and gradually worked up a connection that cut into the business of the Californian import agents very considerably. Last year came the big earthquake "shock at San Francisco, followed by sustained labour troubles, and as a result the New Zealand fruit was given an unprecedented opportunity. Agents with whom the Post reporter conversed professed themselves convinced that the superiority of the local preserves was so marked, and the area. in which sales had been made this year was so wide a one, that the Californian product, handicapped as it would be by the increased duty, would never again regain its lost ground in New Zealand. "MORE CRY THAN WOOL." .

Tba New Zealand woollen industry has had a long and severe struggle, and opinions seem to be divided as to the benefits or. otherwise which it will receive from the tariff. Some of those in -the business who ought to know maintain that the new tariff, notwithstanding the expressed intentions and fair speech of the Minister of Customs, lims been "more cry than wool." " It is quita true," remarked one authority, ".that we have a duty of 25 per 'cent, on ready-made clothing, but then that protection is now minimised because almost every retailer imports direct. T.his means that the importers' 15 to 20 pi3r cent, profit has gone, and' that added to the 25 per cent, used to make the actual protection up to 40 per cent. But whereas only men in a very big way could import, retailers can. now indent their own parcels and some of these may be a« small in value as £2O. Formerly—by this calculation—there was 40' per cent, protection, whereas the saving by means of

direct indenting, now brought the duty down to the bare levy of the tariff. It was the impression of one authority that Wellington people recognised the superior merits of New Zealand made woollen good's, and were always prepared to talcs them at a cheap price; but it was often a question of finance with the'.purchasers, nad in that case the cheap quality of clothing from England was taken. Against this it was impossible for the colonial manufacturer of all-wool to compete. The New Zealand woollen mills w-ero also handicapped by a scarcity of labour, by the high cost of what was procurable, and by the restrictions of labour legislation. BUILT UP UNDER PROTECTION.

Another manufacturer'." representative said that the woollen mills had built themselves up under protection of a 25 par cent, tariff, and it seemed to him that any mill that required higher protection than that was not worth protecting. Ho did not think, however, that advantage would be taken of-the increased duties to raise the price of New Zealand made woollen goods to the local consumer; there' was so keen a business rivalry between the saveral mills that prices would be cut down as low as possible, even if the import duty was raised to 100 per cent. "An interesting fact mentioned by one weaver was that his factory was paying all the better class of its workers a highen wage than the rate fixed by the Arbitration Court award; he -estimated that the wages paid were quite 100 per cent, higher than those paid to such workers in England and in Europe. He did' not see how Mr Millar's .tariff was to help the colonial woollen industry a little Dit; shoddy-made goods produced, with . cheap labour were the goods in demand, and the New Zealand mills could not successfully compete against them. 'The latter remarks, it 'is argued, evidenced the n£ed for fostering a patriotic sentiment,- amongst New Zealand'etis ; that will manifest itself in a demand for New Zealand .manufacturers and an avoidance of the shoddy products of. oversea cheap labour. ;