OUR INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 116, 10 February 1919, Page 6

OUR INDUSTRIES

MANUFACTURE. 0? PAINT PLEA FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Tho Industries Committee of Parliament on Saturday continued its inquiries "into matters tending to benefit and encoura'go the industries of tho Dominion." Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (chairman) presided. C. H. Wood, representing Jackson'and Co., paint manufacturers, qf Wellington, urged that tho Government give greater support to the local manufacture of painting lines. Many of the lines that were used in tho manufacture of paint were to be obtained in New Zealand, but so far were undeveloped. In the Nelson district various lines' of raw material were to be found in abundance, and could be developed almost with one factory, if the manufacturers only had the support of the Government in disposing of new products. There was almost enough paint iised by the Public Works Department and other Government Departments to keep a factory going at this stage, but during tho past year the business done with Government Departments had been far from encouraging. There was enough oxide used by the Government for trucks, bridge's and stations to keep the factory occupied in that direction, but so far the whole of the oxide that had been sold to the Public Works Department during the last year was Scwt., and to the Railway Department, nothing. In putty, a line most extensively used, the whole of the yoar'e business with Hie Public Works had been 4-cwt. The firm was devoting itself chiefly to the manufacture of mixed paints, but so far it had not been able to get the Government to do anything like the business with it that woiild be possible. Jn a period of ten months, the firm fold lib. of mixed paint to the Ptfblic Works Department. One of the thins;.? that the local manufacturer wanted, was some protection by way of Customs duties in its competition with imported articles that were no bettor tlmn the locaJ articles. There was :• prejudice against local articles which was simply a matter of habit with many pninWs. A Rood many rears ago, a man in Wellington had made come terribly bad varnish, and suchpeoplo as he hnd somewhat mppled the lncel industry by the fashion m which they dabbled in it. Mr. Craieiei T know a church which was varnished forty years ago, and it's not.dry yet! I Mr. Wood said that since his firm had begun the manufacture of paintinjr lines it had sold its products ■ more cheaply than the ininorted article*. In reply to a question from Mr. Hornsby. t'ifl witness said that knuri gum wns used in. pome varmches, but it did nof make tho best varnish. Tim rommitteo at this stngo adjourned till to-day..