CHINESE AS RIVALS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1820, 5 August 1913, Page 9

CHINESE AS RIVALS.

IN 1 THE FURNITURE TRADE.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS.

A deputation representing employers and employees in tho furniture trado waited upon tho Prime Uinistor (tho Hon. W. F. Massey) and tlio Minister for Customs (tho Hon. F. 11. B. Fislicr), yesterday, to bring under notice the matter of Chinese competition in'the' furniture trade and other trades in the Dominion. Mr. G. Laurenson, M.P., introduced tho deputation. Tho Hon. J. T. Paul said that both employers and workers feared that if the Chinese entered the furniture trade tho same results would follow as had followed in Victoria, where Asiatics had captured tho trade. Such an event would entail loss upon those employers who had capital invested in the industry, and also serious loss to white workers; and it would further Tesult, as it had in Australia, in tlie deterioration of tho quality of tho furniture produced. The Dunedin Union and the Dunedin employers were unanimous in their desire to have Chinese excluded from the furnituro trade. Mr, D. Moriarty, secretary of the Furnituro Workers' Union, read a letter which had been received from Mr. Massoy by the secretary of the Auckland Union expressing the opinion that if Chinese entered tho trado it would be harmful to the community.' Ho pointed out that tho letter was written before Mr. Massey was Prime Minister. Mr. Massey: It doesn't matter. I stand by it now. Mr. Moriarty said ho was very glad to hear this. 1 Ho stated also that ho had received letters expressing similar opinions from other members of Parliament 011 tho Government side of tho House. What the deputation asked for was legislation to control Chineso workers similar to that in force in Western Australia. He quoted from the evidence of employers before tho Cost-of-Living Commission to show that the cost, of furniture was less than it was some years ago, although wages wero higher, tho reason for the cheaper rates being that labour-saving machinery had been set up in most shops. Thcro was no need for competition froni the Chinese, therefore, to reduce prices in tho interest of tho public. The legislation in Western Australia prohibited Asiatics from being employed m a factory before 8 o'clock in tho morning or after 5 o'clock in the evening, and prohibited also any Asiatic from being registered as the occupier of a factory or employed in a factory unless ho satisfied the Minister that he was engaged in the industry before tho restriction law came into force. Tho law provided also that all furnituro made by Asiatics should bo marked as 6uch. lie asked also that tho Government should introduce legislation to prevent men in full employment with one employer from making furniture in their own time and sending it into auction rooms. All furniture sold in this way should, lie thought, bo branded with the maker's name. Mr. S'. S. Williams said he had recently visited Australia, and it certainly was true that our furniture was as good as, or better than, any of tho Australian goods, and certainly better than that manufactured by Cliineso labour. Mr. Massey: Do you think there is danger of Chineso coming into tho furniture trade in New Zealand to any extent? Mr. Williams said 'ho did not know that thero was any great number of Chinese working in tho trade in New Zealand, but lie understood there wero some in Christchurch. Mr. D. iMoriairty urged that further protection should.be accorded to tho local wickeT-worker. - Most', wicker and seagrass furniture was being imported and sold cheaply. The imparted stuff was made by mon receiving about 2s. Gd. a day, and although it was not eo faithfully made as the New Zealand goods, it found a ready snlo. Ho asked that a sufficient tariff should bo put on to proteot the New Zealand workers. Mr. R. Arnold spoke 09 an employer in the wicker trade, and lie raid he did not think there was any . industry , that had suffered so much from competition from Chinese manufactured; material as had tho wicker furniture industry. Formerly he had 20 hands, now he had only eight.' The Chineso goods were of jerj pood appearanoe, but not so strong or. so durable as the colonially manufactured furniture. The Prime Minister said he had very little to say by way of reply except tliait he still held the opinions expressed by him in tho letter referred to, which ho had sent to the Furniture Workers' Union in Auckland some yeans ago. Ho did not think Asiatic labour should bo allowed to bo established hero to compote with tho labour of our own people. Ho could mot say whether thero was a.ny prospect of Chinese becoming established in tlio furniture trade, in New Zealand, but if there was a possibility of it, ho lagrrod that furniture manufactured by Chinese, as well as furnituro imported from Asiatic coaintri®, should be labelled as such. If this- were insisted upon, the patriotic sentiment of the people of Now Zealand could be relied upon to check tho free use of this furniture hero. If not, tho Government' might go further. One r thing wias certain, if it .was necessary to introduce legislation in the direction suggested, he would be very happy to ask Parliament to agree to it. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fiahcr said lie had had two deputations in connection with proposed charges in the tariff for goods of Asiatic manufacture. Ho felt very strongly that not only shoillil Asiatics bo discouraged from coming here, but that the Government should encourage the manufacture of British goods for British people. To that end, he thought, wo should impose about the same duty as was imposed by tho Commonwealth on Asiatic manufactures. It would have to be a vers' *>ig duty. When the tariff proposals were declared, ho thought it would be agreed that the furniture industry was adequately protected. Mr. Williams suggested that the Now Zealand industry could compete with any countries in the world if the duty on 'oak (2s. Gd. per hundred feet) wero taken off. Mr. Massey promised to look into this matter. ; Mr. Laurenson thanked the Prime Minister for the friendly reception he had given . the deputation, and also for liis very satisfactory reply.