NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2295, 14 September 1908, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES

AN APPEAL FOR. SUPPORT.

It is somo months since the larger centres of the colony adopted, through their Chambers of Commerce, the idea of an Industries Week, for the purpose of exhibiting New Zealand-made goods, and inducing the public thereby to support colonial goods. Tho workers aro now endeavoring to achieve a somewhat similar object, and are circularising the various unions and Trades Councils on the matter. At the meeting of the local Trades Council ou Saturday evening, a letter was received from the secretary of the New Zealand Federated Boot Trade Union, asking the Council to consider the advisability of supporting colonial industries. According to the Govcmmeu returns for the year 1906 (the latest returns available), the total value of boots and shoes -imported into New Zealand was £300,134, and during the above-mentioned year a large number of bootmakers only received twenty-five full weeks’ employment, the remainder of the fifty-two weeks having seen tho men thrown out for one, two, or three days. The Union therefore urged the members of the Council to make sure that the article they were purchasing is made in New Zealand, and also to use their best efforts to induce their friends and relatives to do the same, thus giving more constant employment to every worker throughout the Dominion, Considerable discussion followed the reading of the letter, most of the speakers patriotically giving the project hearty support, though in one quarter ■freetrade was urged. Ultimately the following resolution was adopted unanimously: “That this Council urge the Government to introduce legislation making it compulsory that all goods manufactured in NewZealand shall' bo branded ‘Made in New Zealand.’ ” The resolution is to be forwarded to the Minister for Industries and Commerce (Sir Joseph Ward).