OPPRESSIVE LEGISLATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1031, 21 January 1911, Page 4

OPPRESSIVE LEGISLATION.

SERIOUS EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND ■INDUSTRIES. ■ (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent! - Auckland, January .'.19.-' The statements- made in 'Christchurch: by the. president of the 'Employers' Federation (Mr. J. A..: 1> ros tick): ui.'.refercncc, to tho effect of 'legiSatiqn , .'ujK)n»the:;iiidus- : ; tries of the Doiaiiipii>M'm;. : echoed in Auckla'naiKy/Mr;''^ l'.'/Hodgson'(manager of and'ahpe: Company). Mr!' Hodgsonis'-president oftho New Zealand.—Bbot—Manufacturers' Federation, and,has, paid 'much attention' to tho relationship' of. legislation---arid: business. Speaking to a- reporter yester?' day, he said: the Factories Act arid ..the: Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts between them had undoubtedly-.had; a serious effect upon various New Zealand' industries,'but the 'question was one, ;hqt of legislation alone, but of legislation' combined with administration'. Th'p ef-. fects were particularly noticeable in trades that employed boys . and feinale9. :So serious was tho retarding of business now being experienced that it was-time for the employers to rise to the occasion, and tako sorao steps to prevent any further backward drilt. No better evidence of the check exerted upon- business by the present conditions was afforded than the large amount ,of money which lay. unused in the banks... Taking, tlije boot trade, for. example, it was now serioiisly handicapped by tho prevalent remarkable difficulty' in obtaining boys and; girls'. .This involved an increased cost of production,. which tho industry could ill stand in the face of the competition of outside firms which wero pushing the New Zealund trade more strongly than ever, and everything which increased'the. co9t of production must Causo tho industry to suffer a loss in its 'colonial trade, fiuring' a period of ten months recently passed, the imports into Australia -showed an increase of over seven and a half million sterling.' This .was regarded by manufacturers with strong misgivings, and was regarded as jduo to. oppressive. industrial legislation. Some of the recent legislation in New •Zealand did not appear to have received proper consideration as to its ultimate results, and the feeling existed among manufacturers that it would be necessary ;tp'prevent further imposition unon tho cost of production unless it was" desired to see l manufacturing givo way to importation. Mr. Hodgson stated that tho Boot Manufacturers' Federation would hold its'annual meeting at Dunodin nextweek, and would then givo full consideration to many questions affecting tho'welfare of a number of important industries of New Zealand.