AUSTRALIAN TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1142, 1 June 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN TRADE.

MANUFACTURERS' DESIRES. ; By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyrleht Melbourne, May 31. Tho resolutions passed by the Conference of the Associated Chambers of .Manufacturers, held at Lauuceston in March last, were the subject of a deputation to Mr. W. M. Hughes, Acting Federal Frime Minister. Tho resolutions suggested :— Increased preference for Australian manufactured articles for Government undertakings. Appointment of a permanent non-political Tariff Board. Preferential trade with the self-governing portions of the Empire, particularly with reference to British goods carried in British ships. Extension of the immigration policy to embraco approved immigrants of white races other than British. Prohibition of dangerous and indecent drugs. A uniform railway gauge for Australia. Mr. Hughes admitted there were a few tariff anomalies, but, generally, the tariff had not prevented a state of unparalleled prosperity. The Government was there to see tho public did not pay too much for goods made in Australia. He asked if protection was needed to safeguard industries or swell profits. He was not opposed to a Tariff Board, but desired to see the tariff effective. The Government desired local preference, but not regardless of cost. Mr. Hughes said he would be glad of suggestions as to what would be a reasonable margin of profit. The question of immigration was a, matter for the States. The Commonwealth had taken effective steps to encourage people by passing laws which, ho believed, would alter the proportions under which land was held. He did not think they should look outside Britain for immigrants, but lie disagreed witha speaker who said that the German immigrant was more skilled than the British. "Ho is," added Mr. Hughes, "less desirable, so far as wo are con! cerned." TARIFF'REVISION. London, May 30. Mr. Hamilton Wickes, Board of Trade Commissioner to Australia, addressing tho Belfast Chamber of Commerce, said that revision of the Australian Tariff was in the air. Australia desired to support British industry, which gave better valuo than Britain's rivals. ' A PROJECT ABANDONED. Melbourne, May 31. A' representative of a Leeds firm of tweed manufacturers lias been investigating tho prospects of opening mills in Australia. He considers the conditions of labour make the opening of mills impracticable. Tho total length of tweed and cloth manufactured in the Commonwealth in Xll? a & llt 1,7n0 ' 000 >' anls - val »e<l at •£190,000. There are 21 woollen and tweed mills, and nearly 3000 hands are employed in f them. l J