MANUFACTURERS' VIEWS

Chronicle (Levin), 26 February 1947, Page 5

MANUFACTURERS' VIEWS

CONFERENCE SHOULD BE CALLED WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Substantial agreement on price control and stabilisation could be achieved if the workers' organisations recognised that industrialists could not absorb a further substantial inerease in costs, and' if the commercial community recognised the necessity of workers being abl'e to maintain their standard of living, according to the 'secretary of the New Zealand Manufacturers; Federation, Mr. D. I. MacDonald. when commenting today on the Federation of Labour's proposals on stabilisation. "It was obvious from discussions at our conferehce, as well as at the meeting of the National Council of the Federation of Labour, that the Government would be well advised to take action in connection with the manufacturers' suggestions, that a conference representing all parties, similar to the Economic Stabilisation Conference hel'd in 1942, should be called," said Mr. MacDonald. "I do not wish to- comment in d'etail on t'he published report of the Federation of Labour's discussions but I would' suggest that, while it is obvious that ohere are onc or two points of material' di:f - ference betweeh the views of the manufacturers and the Federation of Labour. there are grornds for thinking that a substantial ag'recment on future brice control and: stabilisation could be reached. Any' suggestion that the strength of the Piice Tribunal should be increased numerically would' be opposed by the industrialists, who feel that opposite action should be tsken Vget more expeditious and practical results. The main problem, whitm Leems to be recognised by all parties, is the necessity of substantially increasing production-.