SELF-SUPPORTING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 66, 9 June 1927, Page 7

SELF-SUPPORTING

AUSTRALIA’S AIMS

GROWTH OF INDUSTRY MR. McLEOD S OBSERVATIONS (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. Impressed by the industrial develop- j ment of Australia, and stirred by the ! political significance of the ceremony j at Canberra, the Hon. A. D. McLeod, j Minister of Lands and Industries and j Commerce, returns with a store of 1 valuable information. Interviewed on his return to-day, Mr. McLeod said that the opening of the j Commonwealth Parliament by their j Royal Highnesses the Duke and j Duchess of York, at the new capital | city, was a ceremony of a most dig- ! nified and impressive character, and j one which he will always regard as j a privilege to have attended as an overseas representative. “It is, of course, most difficult at this juncture, - ’ he said, “to express an j opinion as to the future of Canberra from the point of view of its development as a city, and I can only say that it has already the foundations of a model capital. It is based upon modern town-planning practice, and is situated in beautiful surroundings. I think the Australians are agreed that, with such a variety of State interests involved, the founding of a capital was an essential feature in the Commonwealth’s national policy, and I feel sure that Canberra will fulfil its destiny. “The greater part of my time was j occupied in obtaining first-hand infor- j mation relative to the progress made by the basic and manufacturing industries of Victoria and New South Wales. | and in this connection I was afforded j excellent facilities by both Govern- j ment authorities and manufacturing | interests. BROWN COAL AND ELEC- | TRICITY “I would like to take this opportunity of referring to the splendid progress made by the Victorian Electricity Commission in its development of the brown coal deposits at Yallourn for the purpose of generating electricity for the State of Victoria and of supplying briquettes for household use. The magnitude of the works may be gauged by the fact that 3,500 tons of coal is consumed daily in the generation of 56,000 kilowatts, and I,SOO tons in the manufacture of briquettes. The cost of generating electricity is at present higher at Yallourn than that obtaining in New Zealand, where waterpower is used. SUGAR BEET Another interesting industry in the Cippsland district of Victoria is that of the manufacture of beet sugar. At Maffra, when I visited the works, the season, which runs only for about 100 days, was in full swing, and it was estimated that approximately 3.000 tons of sugar would be produced this year from about 2,000 acres of beet crop. As is well known, some consideration has been given to the question of starting this industry in the Dominion, but in view of the fact that the Victorian Government, which controls the Maffra works, finds it difficult to make ends meet, it is very doubtful whether the industry could be established successfully in New Zealand, . where sugar of a similar quality is procurable at from £lO to £l2 a ton less than in Australia. “I interested myself particularly in the policy of the Commonwealth Government in its relation to protective tariffs on primary products and found that it is apparently the intention of the authorities to make Australia entirely self-supporting so far as its food requirements are concerned. In this connection I inquired carefully into the agitation on the part of the Australian dairy farmers for a duty of 6d a pound on New Zealand butter, which practically amounts to an embargo, and, in view of the policy stated, I have come to the conclusion that if not the whole at least some further protection will be granted. Of course, objection cannot be taken to this policy, but in view of Australia’s keen desire to extend its trade with the Dominion in other commodities and of the existing reciprocal tariff agreement between the two . counries, 1 doubt the wisdom of a policy which will prevent our dairy farmers finding an occasional market for their products in the Commonwealth. However, I have suggested that before any action is definitely taken by the Australian authorities, the Commonwealh Minister of Customs might consider it advisable to visit the Dominion and discuss such matters with the New Zealand Government.