1.—9.

15

P. COOPEB.^

the same machines that have been instrumental in absorbing the increased demand for implements since 1891, but the difference is that in the past these machines have been purchased by New Zealand merchants, who have played the game fairly so far. Now, however, the trust company has set about consolidating the several American competing machines by taking them out of NewZealanders' hands, and have introduced further implements in special competition with the New Zealand machines, so we have something further to look for. What this something will be we can only gather from the trust's workings in other countries. What these tactics are will be shown by exhibits B and C —extracts from papers, &c. A further menace is the knowledge of the constitution of this trust, and of the fact that the head of it is the head of another trust operating in New Zealand—namely, the Standard Oil Trust—the workings of which we are conversant with, and are prepared to place before you if required. W T e are not so conversant with the Tobacco Trust operating in New Zealand, owing to the fact that their operations are such as to be a menace to those affected, they being absolutely afraid out of consideration for the after-affects to reveal anything. We know, however, that your Parliament's actions in connection with this trust have been successful so far in nullifying its worst efforts, and we are looking for like results with regard to the Harvester Trust. 3. Mr. Aitken.] What has Parliament done to nullify the efforts of the Tobacco irusU—l do not know. That is what I was told. I suppose the matter came before Parliament. It is this knowledge, gentlemen, that brings us to you for relief at this period. We ask you to realise the harm an American trust company can do, with a capital of £24,000,000 sterling, and the reported control of further extensive capital by means of which to effect a corner in agricultural implements, and with a monopoly in its own highly protected country, where the trust's profits are just as much as it likes to make them, for the price of implements there is fixed by the trust, as the price of kerosene in New Zealand is fixed by another trust, which to-morrow could say that our kerosene would be any amount per gallon more, and we, the people of free New Zealand, would have to pay. That American millionaires do not invest in manufacturing businesses foreign to them unless to secure a corner is apparent to all; and as to secure that corner in the agriculturalimplement business they have to ruin us, because we stand in the way; what we see ahead of us, unless there is some interference from you, and what the farmer can look for, is illustrated by the position with regard to kerosene. You will probably want to know what the trust has done so far, and what it has done in America and Australia. Exhibits B and C will show this, also Exhibit D—the statement of an American farmer who is at present in New Zealand. The actual detrimental effect in New Zealand so far is indefinite. We could only get this by keeping quiet and waiting; but we had the object-lesson of those opposing the trust in America who kept quiet and waited and are now no more, as our reason for not doing likewise. The passive detrimental effect of the trust's operations in New Zealand lies in their presence here, in view of their history, being a menace to the extent of prohibiting us carrying on our business as we should, for them to be profitable. A menace that is having effect, and which probably is the one most likely to be adopted by the trust for our undoing after the exposures made public by this agitation, is the breaking-down of our trade by the sheer force of their enormous capital, applied through an extensive canvassing staff, so extensive that without the possible result of effecting a corner it could not pay any business concern. In addition to Exhibits A, B, C, and D referred to as showing trust methods elsewhere, we produce the following statements: Exhibit E, comparison of American and colonial prices in New Zealand; Exhibit F, comparison of English and colonial prices; G, table showing (1) capital invested in industry, (2) output of factories, (3) wages paid, (4) hands employed, (5) dependants upon employees; H, table showing the trend of prices of reapers-and-binders whilst handled by agents and by the trust, there being no colonial competition in these; I, proposed method of imposition of duty to meet the position; J, list of manufactures dropped. We hope and anticipate that after perusing these you will agree that our proposals cannot but be of benefit to every one concerned, excepting, of course, the foreign suppliers, and ourselves; but not in comparison with what we might expect otherwise. We ask you to carefully consider the position of the colonial trade from 1891 to 1901, as illustrated by Exhibit A." You will see that the colonial manufacturers have had for years to carry as large a load as it was possible for them to bear, and you will recognise also the certainty that any hesitation in giving relief will be fatal to the industry, the large number of electors directly and indirectly interested being sacrificed solely for the further enrichment of Americans reported to be already multi-millionaires. This is not a matter of free-trade versus protection, or town versus country, or Government versus Opposition: it is a matter of the life or death of an industry established in the colony against long odds, and carried on against long odds, and one which another ounce or further disability will turn the scale to the extent of extinction ; whilst on the other hand, suitable legislation will establish confidence among a large number of workers, farmers, and employers immediately interested, and among the general public, who never know the time when another American trust, such as the Beef Trust, will commence operations in New Zealand. I hand in two of the statements that I have referred to [produced]. Each of us has some of the statements so as to keep from overlapping in our remarks. I. Mr. Aitken.] Would it not be well to read one or two parts of the statements which we can remember, because the exhibits will not be printed in time for perusal by the Committee before it deliberates?- Very well. The most important is a repetition of what I stated. From 1891 to 1901 the increase in the value of implements imported was £96,221, and the acreage under cultivation increased by 3,756,763 acres, while the number of hands employed increased by only fiftyeight. The agricultural-implement-manufacturing business was the only industry employing over 500 hands that remained practically stationary from 1891 to 1901. The other statement is simply a comparison of the American price-fist with the colonial price-list, and I do not know whether reading it would be very much good. I may say that we had difficulty in getting hold of