The Daily News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1902. THE IRONSAND QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 18 February 1902, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1902. THE IRONSAND QUESTION.

Considerable interest is being taken in the interne*" between the Hon. A. 'J. Oadman, C.M.G., and the Harbou' Board to-day. We understand Mr. Oadman does not intend to press the Board to come to any decision to-day, but to discuss the matter with them and leave them till next meeting to decide on the answer t<ji>i given to his This" j« as it should be, as the matter is of the utmost importance to the whole district. Very large and grave issues are involved and the whole question needs very judicious and thoughtful consideration. We feel sure, however, that t'ae matter is perfectly safe in the hands of the Harbour Board and Mr. Oadman, as both have the future welfare of the port in view. Any proposal which will lead to securing.a safe and suitablejport, and secure the interest of the ratepayers and importers and exporters should receive every assistance and support. The question of the leases is also one of considerable importance. New Zealand so far has done very little to establish the iron industry and we have little doubt but that once the industry is established the iron orirs known to exist in the colony will receive attention. New Plymouth is so admirably situated for reaching every portion of the colony by sea that the establishment of the industry here means a large handicap ia its favour. Io view of the very large assistance the Federal Government is offering in Australia, our own Government should bestir itself if it does not mean to see New Zealand left out in the cold. Although Mr Oadman stated that he did not consider it necessary to the success of his venture that increased Government assistance should be given, he admitted that the action of the Federal Government placed New Zealand in a more unfavourable position. He further mentioned the very large assistance the Government of the Dominion of Canada •as given to secure the establishment of ironworks there. Mr Gadman's remarks caused us to look the matter up, and we must confess that the people of Canada have much to thank the Government of the Dominion for, and that the Government of New Zealand might well take a leaf out of their book and give the same systematic assistance to the industry that is given in Canada and is proposed to be given in Australia. The following facts culled from the Canadian Year Book for 1901 will no doubt be read with interest:—ln 1883 the Dominion Parliament authorised payment of $1.50 a ton upon all pig iron manufactured in Canada. This bounty v-as continued until Ist July, 1889, when the rate was SI a ton. On Ist July, 1892, the rate was increased to $2 a' ton till Ist July, 1897. In 1894 an Act was paesad providing that the Governor-in-Council could authorise the payment of a bounty of $2 par ton on all pig iron made in Canada from Canadian ore, or a bounty of SB2 pev ton on all puddled bars made in Canada from Canadian pig iron made from Canadian ore, and a bounty of $2 per ton on all steel billets manufactured in Canada from Canadian pig iron and such other ingredients as are necessary and usual in the manufacture of steel billets. These bounties were applicable till 26th March, 1899, in thoc»s> of furnaces in operation on 27th March, 1894, and in the case of firunaces commencing operation subsequent to that date, but before 27th March, 1899, for five years from the date of commence-, m< nt. This was repealed in 1897 when the Governor-General was authorised to give (1) a bounty of $3 per ton o> eteel ingots, manufactured from ingredients of which not less thin 50 par cent of their weight consisted of pig iron made in Canada ; (2) a bounty of 883 por ton on puddled iron burs manufactured from Canadian made pig iron ; (3) a bounty on pig iron manufactured from ore of $3 pir ton on the proportion produced from Canadian ores and $2 on the proportion produced from foieign ore. In 1898 an Act was p«sed which was held to have come

into force in April, 1897, providing that these bounties continue in foree till 30th June, 1907, at a yearly dimin-'. I ishing rate from 1902; 90 per cent to: be paid in 1902-3; 75 percentin 1903-. 4 ; 50 per cent in 1904-5 ; 35 per cent' in 1905-6, and 20 per cent in 1906-7. In 1894 the Ontario State Legislature [ appropriated 5125,000 for an iron! I mining fund, to be appropriated j I ft t ii<e iate (f SI per ton of pig metal,! Ith'i product, of iron ores raised or; uiii.ed in On'.ario, the amount of bounty 1 not to exceed 8825,000 in any one year. IThw annual consumption of iron and • steel in Cin-vda is between 800,000 and 1 .870,000 tons. In 1901, there were I seven companies at work in Canada, producing 440,090 tons of iron per '] annum, and a new company, the Lake I Superior Power Company, was building

I very large works for the manufacture /of pig-iron, steel, and dteal rails, being I the fi-stto manufacture tbe latter io i Canada. The total capital invested ' was $35,000,000, and this is expected to be increased within the next five or 'six years to 8850,000,000. In 1879, I the value of the iron made was

881,377,306, valued at 3813-38 per ton; 64,648 tons of coke used was valued at .18193,944, and 51,826 tons of flu*, valued at $44,940. Under the provisions of tb« Act by which $3 per ton was paid on pic-iron made from Canadian ore, and 882 on iron made from foreign ore, the bounty is 1898 was $165,654, in 1899 88187,954, and in 1900 88238,296. In addition to this, several of the provinces paid a bounty on the amount produced in tbe parj ticular province. Up to 1900, Canada I had exported 676,962 tons of iron ere (valued at 881,800,736, and in 1900 the lvalue of manufactured iron and iron

and steel goods wts 881,425,163. When the amount of labour employed to produce these results is considered, their value to the country will be appreciated.