AN INDUSTRY IN DANGER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2029, 30 June 1885, Page 2

AN INDUSTRY IN DANGER.

A writer in the Protectionists' organ in Duncdin points out in the following manner how the proposed tariff threatens the rum of the jam industry in that city: i —"With the splendid facilities wo possess for fruit-growing, the manufacture of jam must prove one of our most profi*) table industries, and yet, if I mistake notjp the proposed tariff will have the effect $ seriously crippling, '■ if not absolutely killing it. It appears that from our fruit supply the demands of the fruiterers have first to be satisfied, and the surplus only is available for jam-making. Moreover, it is .never imported in its natural. state • for jam-making. Tho invariable prac-' tice, is to convert it into fruit pulp before, shipping it, and this pulp forms the raw material for the factories in New Zealand. :. The fact, therefore, that nearly £69,000 worthy of green-fruit was, imported last year proves conclusively thatwe do not produce enough to satisfy the requirements of the . fruiterers alone. Thus the importation of fruit pulp cannot in any way compete with the locally grown article. In short, without the pulp, the factories can have no material to work ou'for many years to. come—until, that is, the local production is "so abundant as first to displace the present importations, and then supply the factories. '. •" v < What, then, will be the effect of thepdp posed duty of 2d a lb on pulp ?, Care?* enquiries on the point show that the two' existing factories in Dunedin will be

simply closed, for jam cannot be locally manufactured from imported pulp at the increased rate at a price to compete with' the imported jams. The matter is a very sorious one, for the factories of this city employ nearly a hundred hands, besides many thousand pounds' worth of capital, Speaking generally, the average cost of green fruit is about 5s per' case of 401b, and as the freight and charges amount to ' 2s por case, the local grower is naturally protected to the extent of 40 per cent., and spite of this we do not grow enough for ow own use. Under these oiroumstances the wisdom of a duty of 2d per lb A on pulp seems more than questionable, 1- A have not the exact figures before me, but if I believe I am within the mark when I say that this duty represents protection to the extent of more than 100 per cent., and .yet; as I have shown, there is absolu« tely nothing to protect. It has, always beon understood that the end and aim of Protection was to foster local manufactures, yet in this instance the peculiar result is attained that, by the kindly .aid of a Protective tariff, the local producer loses a market, and the local consumer is compelled to purchase the imported article." .^ [And the writer might have added,\» an increased price.]