The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1915. TRADE EXPANSION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 154, 4 March 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1915. TRADE EXPANSION.

(With which is incorporated The Tai hape Post ',..xi3 ‘WaimaPino News.)

The trade that G ermany is to lose if she fails to emerge conqueror from the war is a question that is occupying the attention of a great many manufacturers and traders in various parts of our are those in New Zealand who believe that this country can profitably establish factories for the production of many articles hitherto chiefly imported from Teuton workshops, and steps have already been inaugurated by the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand to stimulate trade and industry, and to promote and extend trade conditions of a self-contained nature. A Dunedin journal has said that one of the lessons of the war is the desirability of quickening'industrial development within the Empire, and there can bo littledoubt that the carrying 0 f that sentiment into practice will he one of the outstanding results o' the struggle. Until the Industrial Corporation gives some indication of the industries its member*, think can be profitably and equitably established there is nothing definite to discuss; hut, viewing all the circumstances, it is indeed difficult to suggest any form of manufacture that can bo quite satisfactorily engaged in if it has not a very close relationship to our principal national industries, in the discussion of this subject there must be no side-tracking the fact that New Zealand is essentially a producing country, and that any industry of a factory character 1o be ft success from every viewpoint must be based upon its natural commodities. New Zealand already has the best of evidence to go upon; we ha y<e in our midst boot and .other factories. _ Those 1 that are closely allied with our primary industries are ill. most cases a success and seyerql of them need no State aid to make them so, but there are others that' cannot bo said to bo based on

natural conditions, such as boot uamrlTicturing, which have only inn-ii a success to the factory-own-ops. To < na1)Io shoe factories to exist every man, woman and child has to pay from twenty to

forty per cent, more for boots than they should do, and even them the imported article has a stronger hold of the market that our own manufactured goods. There are industries in connecdon with our wool, flax, meat and minerals that it would be in tnc country ? s very best interests to establish, if need he, with offers of bonuses or preferably by some form of protection, but there are others, such as shoe factories, which it. is proved by experience

cannot be made to reach a stage of development when they ret quire no spoon-feeding. Boot manufacturers have had as much as forty per cent, protection and still they have wanted further assistance. Such industios are of no use to us, and to keep them going it is necessary to tax the boots everyone wears to almost halt their cost. What wo desire to urge is that when the New Zealand Industrial Corporation, or any other organisation seeks our support, we should be strictly on guard against having to do with propositions of the boot-manufac-turing character. It is, of course, desirable and necessary to support and encourage by protection such industries that will ulti-

matoly become self-supporting that will find work for our growing population, and will otherwise bo a sourco of strongth to the. State. We look with amazement upon our enemies’ iron works of every kind, particularly those in connection with the manufacture of guns and other irogoods used in warfare, and ye'

the iron industi’v is eomnaratiw

ly a new industry in C'ermany In Bismarck’s early time all iror goods ’were imported ; he saw that mastery of the world was impossible without iron and lie gav* State assistance to ensure a com mencemcnt. Then, he''didn’t play about with levying dutie ou imported iron, but. he probib ited its importation altogether; i Bermans wanted iron they had t< produce it. It is not our inter tion to discuss the Berman iron trade—most business peopl know about it—but it is mention ed to indicate that in selecting new industry ventures, we musbe guided by our natural resources. Every proposal that h surrounded with extremely do batable fiscal possibilities sliouh be shunned. No such proposal has yet been made, and there can

bo no doubt the Corporation w 1 be wise to avoid doing so. Wo must always keep in mind that In giving extreme protection to any form oF manufacturccl goods wc arc “burning the candle at both'ends. ” While we levy from twenty to forty per cent, on hr

portations, wc arc at the sain time cut tin a down Customs rev

emie that will need to be made good in some other way. The most .satisfactory course to follow ;-fo the success and safety of the Empire, we think, is to ext oh d trade preference to its utmost. reasonable limit, keeping in mind that it is of vital importance to give

all encouragcm-mt to industries that can. be pay ably established among our people. We believe the time is not far distant when our iron needs will warrant tinerection of blast furnaces, puddling furnaces and rolling milk in some suitable locality where thev will be safe should future

trouble overtake us, similar to

that we are involved in at the present time. Indeed, it is a moot point whether the time is not now ripe for taking the initial steps that will'■ultimately lead to the production of all the iron we re quire, not only for castings, but

also for our railway tracks, our "team engines, and for the immense. quantity of bar iron that is now required for every day needs. There could be no reason-

able objection to the State laying the foundations for such a national enterprise.