PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17710, 3 December 1925, Page 11

PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION MEETING.

MR COATES MAKES OPTIMISTIC SPEECH. The Prime Minister attended the seventy-fifth annual meeting and dinner of the Canterbury Industrial Association last evening. In response to the toast, “ The Parliament of New Zealand,” he spoke for about threequarters of an hour, and referred optimistically to the future. The regimental" colours of the loth North Auckland Regiment, in which the Prime Minister served in the war, decorated the tables and the menu cards. The toast was proposed by r Mr E. 11. Marriner, president of the association, who complimented tho Prime Minister on the success of his party at the ejection, and said that it was the first time a Prime Minister had attended an annual meeting of the association. He asked the Prime Minister if the Government would open up the tariff for revision during the coming session, and if a seat would be provided for a member of the New Zealand manufacturers’ and industrial organisations on the Government Tenders and Control Board, or a seat on the board for a iepresentative of the Industries and Commerce Department, on the manufacturers’ and industrialists’ behalf. Another question by Mr Marriner was when the Hiley scheme would be begun. THE TARIFF. The Prime Minister, responding, said that he felt very pleased when he saw the colours of his regiment displayed at tht- gathering. The tariff, he continued could not be opened up very' easily, but he might say that, if a proposition or a case was put forward showing that the best interests of the country' could be served by encouraging certain items of local manufactures, the Government would be only too pleased to meet the manufacturers half-way, and to investigate thoroughly the proposals in order to see if the tariff could be altered to meet the requirements of the secondary industries. That was the way in which to* approach the question. The Government always was ready to hear the manufacturers’ representatives and to help secondary industries as far as possible. There should be a complete understanding between the primary and secondary industries. It was essential that people in country districts should have the hearty co-operation of people in the cities. ■ As to representation on the Stores Control Board, of which he is chairman, the Prime Minister said that there ■was a sub-division of the board’s duties amongst Departments by means of sub-committees, and recommendations were made to the chairman. As to the method of preference of tenders, ail importations were loaded with a tariff on the policy' laid down. Personally, he had little objection to the chairman’s proposal, but sometimes arrangements of that kind were misunderstood by-' the departmental officers who dealt with tenders, and who were capable men. of high integrity', with the interests of the country' and of their particular Departments at heart. He ,was anxious to get the best out of officers he worked with, and to make them feel that the responsibility rested on their shoulders. He could promise that, if the industrial associations were not satisfied with the manner of dealing with tenders and if there was some vagueness in respect to the policy followed, the Government would do its best to do away with the doubts and dissatisfaction. It would be glad to receive any suggestions made by industrialists. THE HILEY SCHEME. As to the Hiley' scheme, he did not know it. To-day it was far out of date. People should ask: “Is the Government going to double the railway line or double the tunnel and electrify it?” Mr J. M’Combs; Say'both. The Prime Minister: That is Mr M’Combs's u.sual attitude. He wants nothing but the whole hog. The Prime Minister continued that it was a matter of getting the right perspective as to justification for the expenditure apd the return on the money spent. That was the way in which those present would consider any undertaking in their own businesses. That was apart from the natural desire for people to have money' spent in their midst. He was unable to say anything definite in that direction, but he suggested that one or two gentlemen should be appointed to go into the alternative proposals with representatives of the Government, and report to the organisations interested. By that means a final scheme could be adopted and the question could be placed before the public. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES. The Government knew the value of secondary industries. He agreed that loyalty as well as charity' began at home, and if price and quality v 7 ere satisfactory' people should buy' local goods. When goods could not be manufactured in New Zealand they should be brought from the Old Country, as it would help people in the Old Country at a time o* stress and anxiety'. After quoting figures to show how industries had increased in New Zealand from 1908 to 1924, in regard to values, factories, einploy-ees, employ'ers, wages, salaries, and values, the Prime Minister said that it must be admitted that the growth of secondary industries during that period was very remarkable.

Shipping service, he said, was an important question. He favoured fast services. There was no reason why a thirty days’ service should not be established with the heart of the Empire. A matter of ten days made a great difference in that, respect. That gathering was non-political, and the Government did not wish to introduce politics into tariff questions. If co-opera-tion could be brought about amongag| different interests, all suggestion of? politics could be avoided. The British brand on goods carried a guarantee of reliability. New’ Zealand manufacturers should preserve British tradition in that respect. Figures dealing with the public finances showed that the future could be looked forward to confidently. Business men could feel confidence in improving their manufacturing concerns and bringing them up to date. If they used their money in that way, everybody' in the community' would benefit. There must be complete confidence between employer and employee, and there must be loyalty between them, if the country was to make headway. Every employ'er must take a sympathetic interest in his employees’ welfare. If that feeling were established, probably 90 per cent of the co-opera-tion essential to >e country’s progress would be brought about. Concluding the prime Minister said that it was gratifying to learn that the Mutual Guarantee or Locarno Pact had been signed. It must bring security and stability the world; and it was particularly satisfactory' to know that the man who had brought about that desirable state of affairs was an Englishman', Sir Austen Chamberlain*^