The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1905. A BLOW TO NEW ZEALAND MANUFACTURERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7863, 4 July 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1905. A BLOW TO NEW ZEALAND MANUFACTURERS.

The American Trust system which had caused such havoc in industrial circles in Australia and other places is now being introduced into New Zealand, the pic leers being the International Harvest Company of America, at the head of which is Mr McC'ormick, a son-in-law of Mr J. I). , Rockleller, the moving spirit of the World famed Standard Oil Trust. Operations are being commenced at ' Christchureh, which is to be the headquarters of the Company in this Colony, where as soon as suitable premises have been secured business will be started. The methods adopted by the American Trusts are fairly well known, and it is not so long .since that the Premier denounced in strong* terms the evils which these powerful combines inflicted on Industrial progress. The question now arises as t.< what steps must be taken to prolert our manufacturers ami the local employees from the American octopus. The Decline and Osborne machines will be under the direct control of the Company's officfc, and a start of agents will travel throughout (he Colony on the Company's behalf. The Working of the Trust has even been much discussed in America where, quite recently, several Bills have been introduced into the Unites States Legislature with the object of curbing its operations which arc viewed with anything but favour. Some Idea of the objects of the Trust can be gleaned from a commnnication made to a Home paper by a gentleman for many years interested in the industry. He says "If the plans of the International Harvester Company are successfully carried out the farmers ! will have to buy all their own implements from a Trust. When the Company was first organised, the combine of the McCormiek, Deering, Champion, Piano, and Milwaukee, we were given to understand that this object was not to raise prices hut to lower them, and that inside three years we would see machines lower than we ever saw them ; that the decrease in cost of selling would make it possible to sell cheaper* The fust year tliey raised the price 2.50d0l on grain binders and com harvesters if sulci oil three years time. This year I hear they have raised it 3.5Ud01 more,, making sdol raise in two sections, as the dealer would stand it. This shows what truth there was in their statement that they were going to lower prices. They have been at work gobbling up manufacturing concerns all over the country, the D. M. Osborne being one of them. I believe ; it is their intention to manufacture and control a fuH line of agricultural implements, and when this line is | perfected it will he a sorry flay for j the /armer. The lassoo will be thrown around Jjjs neck, and he will be made to pay from 50 to 100 per cent, more forjiis agricultural tools, forced to sign bonded mica drawing from 7 to 17 per cent, interest, and for an inferior grade of goods. As one of the first things a Trust always does is lo see how cheap can We make it, also how can we advance (he price. 1 have been in the employ of D. M. Osborne and Co. for five years, in fact had made a .contract with them for the coming year, but when the news 'came that they had sojd out to the .'jiternational Harvester Company 1 count me out." It is only necessary lo follow the methods adopted by the Trust to understand how rapidly and completely it controls the whole, field of operations, wiping out competitors, and compelling farmers to pay whatever price it pleases. Agents are bound down to sell no other goods but those of the Trust' and, as slated by an American paper, "if the combine is not stepped, it will cost the farmers millions of dollars aud place them in the power of a. Trust as unscrupulous as that of the worst of all combines-thc Standard Oil. Plenty of evidence was forthcoming bclore the Koyai Commission set up by the Australian Commonwealth povernment, to demonstrate the qeed (or an exceptional tariff on machinery imporlcd liy Trust, and the Australians are agitating for the addition of ad valorem duties on these goods which they claim should each be subjected to specific duty in order lo prevent the ruin of Australian manufacturers, who are quite willing to enter into a bond not to raise prices if the duties are increased, as (hey believe the increased demand would probab- ' ly lead to even reduced prices. ]f this is the case in Australia, how i much the more need is (her for stringent measures to be taken in New Zealand where American implements , are admitted free, and where, more- ' over, there is an additional totaspera- ! tion consequent on some q) their 1 i own inventions hejig placedthe j market as American is a son»*'liai curious there sh®4 be a ]

manufactured therefrom. This is hardly likely to foster industrial progress, and it would seem that the I time has arrived for facing the new conditions which are threatening to destroy a most important industry, and deprive a considerable number of skilled mechanics of their employment.