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Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1924, Page 2

An aspect of tile demand for pielerential treatment of colonial toodslulls in Britain "hull does not seem to i.i. vei.v often referred to is -that the colonies have erected tariff barriers primarilv in protect their own industries, not to help Britain. Recently the Commonwealth Government accepted an \listralian t. ndcr for fourteen locomotives at a price of £Klb.f!oo. this being £7i2.tl(X> above the lowest British tender. A letter to the Colonial Secretary was tlmii addressed by the pede,atio:; of Hi i t ish Industries, stating mat “it appears to them a niatfer of meat regret, in the interests of interimperial trade, that, the Australian Government should have discriminated in the manner icpcirtcd against British manufacturers.” “While t'.lte d.s..ppoiminciu of the British ncanufaetlirers is natmal.” comments the “Bii-ti.sb-Au.stralian and New Zealandel . “they should realise that they are protesting against the inevitable. This latest Itep" c:n the Federal Government's part is merely an advance along the line of their protective policy, ‘'tamed to luster their own industries at any , .-t. Though the drastic nature of the step may leave taken the British intef,,s(- aback, bad they noted the everincreasing outcry that has lolloped clu' acceptance of any overseas tender in Australia, they should have been prepared. It only demonstrated with 1,-e-h force wlcat we leave many times (minted mil namely, that no amount of increased preference in Britain in the primary pioclncts of Australia wdl induce the manufacturers..)!' that conn. trv to allow any tbeit tarill' nrntcetinn.”

“(In the ether hand." continues .the l.oudon ioiirnal. “every mail bring.' news of ’the attempts that are being made, hv means of ilmni ing dot cc alteration of the preference law. do. to guard still more ellectirely against. British i ompetit ion. In the n- - "f the expression to dis: t illciliai c against liritis.li goods we think the Federation of British Industries have made a mistake. What the Commoiiwe:di!i Hovernment has done is to discriminate in favour of Australian goods, and that t hey evidently intend to do so., under Itossiire from local interests, in spite of Biiti.-li protests.” Ike ‘I ndu-I ' '.a! Ausiraiion" carries the war cunbeo into the enemy - earn-) by ’eelnriiig

that careful investigation showed that

the average wage being paid m men employed iii the matin I act u ioi locomotives in the United Kingdom was 7,bi per week, and the average wage tlicit must he paid under the awards of t lie Cnmmcmwealth Arbitration Court to men employed in Australia in the nianuftceiura ol Icn cimnlive.s was

1 10 s per week. Tin* Au>tliili:m itinnui.ictiircr was. therefore. laying li'O l>‘" (‘cut. higher wages. A carclitl cnnt]>»iisi>ll li.'id keen Hindi', and it "as tumid tlnit 11 ■<* Australian matinfacl ttr,.r vjts paving approximately dt) por cent more for the mati'rial from wliieli tlie.se locomot.ivea won Id require to ! manufactured.

ItKI’OHTS liave keen eurient lor home time as to possikle developments in tin* far son til which would give a murk needed impetus to the mme remote portion of Sunt li Westland. II the reports materialise into farts the most important development in the history of the southern district will have keen launched. The south is in need of capital and enterprise. Il Inis resources which if exploited will yield eonsidernlile treasure. There are the facilities for a remarkakle development. which, however, owing to the remote situation, must he on a ennsiderahle stale. It must he. also, a self-contained enterprise catering for itself in all essentials and pnitieularlv in transport on both sea and land. TPfs suggests the necessity of n large capital undertaking, and from all accounts that is the foundation of the present proposal which involves both milling and land sett'ement. In conjunction with this enterprise it would he requisite to provide shipping acrotnmodation at Jackson l’ y and i.tenm tra’tion over tln* intervening eonntiy as far north a - the Haa.-t at least. The thief Commissioner of Crown I •nds has reported verv favomnblv on the settlement availnklc in the locality indicated, and wit It regular trading facilities, and the normal requirements of progressive settlement available, the district should attract po’nhit ion. and j at nine tlourish accordingly. 'lke venture is one destined to succeed if the enterprise is well financed at the out.-et In ensure tko ultimate return. There is gieat natural wealth in the timber which removed from much of the land will ensure dairying and pastoral pursuits of a profitable nature being carried on. To that locality also there is ever j resent ike undoubted possibility of a mineral find of great value, so that altogether a settlement venture in the far south should carry with it great possibilities and l.e the means to the end long desired- the opening up •>! the southern territory on profitakle j industrial lines. The whole undertaking should have the fullest encouragement from the Government authorities