The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 310, 27 June 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1912. NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

The feeble response that is always made in every town in New Zealand which goes in for an "Industries Week" illustrates the fact that New Zealand lias no very great interest in any industry that goes further than the production of raw materials. As the State is preparing for the coming of the factory by the harnessing of water power, the imposition of a great tariff on all those goods which might be manufactured in this country (were the State to encourage the manufacturing class), it seems probable that the State is looking forward to the day when it will no longer depend on the foreign manufacturer. In principle the imposition of protective duties on goods that can be produced in this country is equitable. In practice it is rough on the pocket of the public. If ultimately heavy protection encourages' manufacturers to produce articles as good and as cheap as articles that are imported and pay heavy duties, perhaps heavy duties may be justified. The fact disclosed by the poor display of New Zealand goods during "Industries Weeks" in the cities and chief towns of New Zealand is not that the goods are inferior so much as that the faith of New Zealanders in their own goods is feeble. We have been repeatedly told that very excellent New Zealand goods have been sold in New Zealand as foreign goods, as it is no recommendation to the average New Zealander to tell him that he is getting an article delved from the soil of New Zealand and fashioned by the hands of his own countrymen. It is only the well-to-do person who can indulge in spasms of loyalty that do not pay. The New Zealander may buy New Zealand articles if they are cheap and good, but there have been indications that he often chooses the foreign article ■when it is, neither cheap nor good in preference to the goods of his own country. At present Now Zealand produces an enormous quantity of raw materialsmore per head of population than anycountry on earth —but the chief point for consideration seems to be that although the returns per head are so splendid, there are not enough heads. That is to say, New Zealand, while she is dabbling with manufactures, is in the most infantile state as a producer of raw materials. It may be excellent practice for New Zealand to make goods and to be less dependent on the foreigner, but it is our opinion that she would invite fewer troubles, either financial or labor, if she greatly expanded her primary produces business and left the factory idea to the coming generations. Vfe invite social bother by rushing into businesses the country is not ripe for, simply because all labor disturbaiices in the past have been caused by secondary TaI ther than primal workers, and greater ! dissatisfaction must always exist among hand-to-hand town workers than amonp primal producers. The fact that the country is antagonistic to the introduc-

tion of people skilled in manufactures is not an. indication that the manufacturing arts are likely to flourish -to the detriment of the primal industries, and the constant demand for the imposition of 'heavier tariffs must make enemies of the users of goods who find that frequently • 'lie imported article, even when it has ;i ltd its tax, is as cheap as the locally manufactured and highly-protected article. The possibility of free-trade between the Australian Commonwealth and this Dominion may lead to an avenue for ultimate free trade in the Empire. Under such a system there would , he no urgent need for manufacturing rivalry between sister nations under the flag, and countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, eminently fitted ior the production of raw material, might be better content to let established manufacturing portions of the Empire carry on the business for which they were the most prepared. It is patent to j ■every New Zealander that there is an unsatisfied, and, indeed, insatiable mar-' ket, for every ounce of raw produce she, can grow, and it is equally patent that although she grows marvellously, she is not producing a tithe of the produce she is capable of growing. So that we arrive at the only conclusion that to neglect primal producing for manufacturing is sheer foolishness. New Zealand has established an Bnviable reputation for the value of the edibles she exports, and with these she can compete with every other country. She is absolutely unable to compete, however, in the matter of manufactures for export, and, indeed, in many cases, for local use. This, of course, does not apply to all articles of common use, but to the larger proportion- of them. There is no necessity for her to increase the variety of her manufactures until she increases the output of her produce. There is a wider happiness, a greater security and a large promise of health in the production of raw materials. The concentration on this type of production is a safe policy. A country which concentrates' almost wholly on manufactures is the most dependent in the day of danger. You cannot eat coal and iron, clothing, ships and cutlery. New Zealand, in short, could stand a siege and live on her own produce. Britain and Germany could not. In the present state of international relationship it is not material for New Zealand | to produce the articles she uses, because ! other countries are over-producing every possible article New Zealand could take. . It will be ample time for New Zealand J to worry with manufactures when she I has solved the problem of empty, idle lands.