ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 176, 30 October 1886, Page 6 (Supplement)

ENCOURAGEMENT OF LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Auckland, October 25th. Last night a> meeting of the General Committee of the New Zealand, Industrial Association was Held in Kobaon's Rooms, when the Chairman read the following address which he had prepared :— to the Max ufaoturlnar, Farming, and Labouring Olasaee oC New Zeuiand : Fe'low colonists,— The cry throughout the lei>($tb and breadth of this colony at the preset moment is, when are the times to Improve and the great depiession that now oxinte to pass away? What are wd to do with the numbers of oar unemployed, our manufacuit ies which are bltnoat at a b 1 andstill for want of employment, owing to the Bouroity ot work, an-1 our youthn -who are growing up in idleness, b log dobarr d from getting the necessary iastruotiun in the various trades and ocoupaiione incidental to the req irements < f auoh a country as hi* is destined >o be? Are weTai nays to go on d pendiug on the Govoroment and our municipal authorities for Jho providing of temporary relief lot o starving unemployed, wht so ranks contain not only labourers, but articans and tradesmen of all kinds ? Are we * o ro on borrowing million after million, and paying the iatertbt out of loans, to enable u« 10 carry on a Utnlo longer, and keep adding to our already enormous dbbi? By tniameana we might stave on 1 tlin evil day tor a long period, but should Btili be increase the taxation of our already heavily- taxed working, producing* and manufacturing population until our beautliul colony, whicn ooniams an abundance of fertile land, unti.M mineral wealth, nplendid harbotirs, audelimite uutto beauruassed in any part of the rrorJd — in face, all that is requir- d to make a nation a happy and prosperous* country, is so loaoed with debt that the industrious part ot its inhabitants will ne unable to find the means of paying taxes and supporting life. Borrowing more money means at best only a temporary relief, and moataasuredly will ultimately make matter a worsenmUl such time as we taxH a deeper internal; in our tonal industries, and aidreaa ourselves with determination to foster and orotnote them. For years past we have been told that we are on the eve ot realism ■/ a better state of things, but the better things ha^e faded away )lke the mirage ot the aesert. We are, however, still hoping on ; our manufacturers and producer^ are straining every nervn to tide over the degression, and. notwithstanding thflir many ; diauuurftgements, are doing their utmost to keep j the dlmioiahed number of workmen employed in the expectation that our legislators will do for this colony what has been done for America, what la now being done in the Bibter colony. Victoria— what men now pee will require to bo done for New South Wales, and what ie> acd has been done in Germany, France, Belgium, and all foreign coumries. viz., irottct and fost r all native industries, iho promoting and fostering of tnest) industries Is in a great measure in the hands ot our ieRi*huor3, und merely requires a disoriminnting adjustment of the tariff to impart to thtru the necessary vigour. But. besides this, and to ensure success, it ia absolutely necessary that every true colonist should resolve «»n using the products of the colony in pnuerence to the imported arWcle3 The tiunf» had arrived tor a rddii-al chance in our po'iry. ana it remains for lhe mduatrial classes of this colony to decide whether they will adnere to thes» free trade nations, which, as Mr Gladstone haa remarked, have nauperised the massed in Britain un.il huniau life ia the majority of oaaea is a atruggio for existence, or wheiher they will not rather proteoc. -foster, and develop their own industries, and thus secure prosperity for themselves and their children, while fat jI presenting abundance of scope for thousands of tht-ir Mlow-omintrymen, who cannot find employment in Britain for either their labour or their capital. Fellow eoloni&ts, the m>tterliesin our owu hands, and to make our cause triumph we have only to be united ano true to each other. Let every manufacturer, workman, farmer, and labourer t*ke up the question in earnest, and patronise tht induutiies that have been or may bo established in <hm their adopted country. Lot us, when the tiuv> comes foe the election of ei'her municipal or parliamentary representatives, be united in supporting only those candidates who will carry out our view*, without which our efforts at r form will bi in vain We aak you to remember that in union alone is Btr^Htfth, and that w;ih it we are bound to succeed. After eome consideration, it was resolved as follows : — 1, "That a committee be appointed to take measures for securing the services of a paid secretary, and t6 raise a guarantee jund for the purpose, if need be, of supplementing his salary." 2. "That a committee be appointed to collect statistics respecting th6 several industries requiring the encouragement of the association, and che necessary adjustment of the tariff " 3 " That the address of the chairman be published, and that copies of the same in leaflet form be circulated throughout the country." There waa a large attendance at the meeting, and a growing interest was manifested in the objects of the Association.