Woollen Manufactures

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 143, 13 March 1939, Page 11

Woollen Manufactures

Sir,—When I read in this morning’s issue of your paper the “comment” of Dr, S. Townend, of Dunedin, on the “statement” of Mr. John Redshaw, of Bradford, on the woollen manufacturing Industry of New Zealand as published in “The Dominion” last week 1 thought of the traditional Scotch couple who were evidently having- a “ding-dong go” at each other and when the husband was asked what was wrong he said, “We’re baith o’ the same opinion; I’ve got half-a-croon and she thinks she’s no’ gonna get it, and I think the same 1” Mr, Redshaw’s interview given to “The Dominion” was primarily in connexion with New Zealand flax and its marvellous market potentialities and the merest reference only was made to the woollen mills of the Dominion. As one who was present at the interview I can assure your readers that Mr. Redshaw was not slow to give credit where credit was necessary, but he was equally condemnatory with Dr. Townend on the presence of “old-timers” of machinery, which he said were of a quality which would doubtless stand up to another 50 years of service,as they had already served their first 50. He made it perfectly clear that what was wanted in some of our mills was machinery which would do four times the turnover that these “old timers” were doing —and that such machinery was available. By quadrupling the output and making a better article the publie would thus bo getting better goods at cheaper prices. “IVe have them in Bradford just as you have them in New r Zealand,” Mr. Redshaw stated, “who think the way their parents and grandparents did the work is still good enough!” He told your representative of one young man whose father having died left the mill to his son. The latter installed one up-to-date machine such as Mr. Redshaw described; then an order followed for 30 more! Today that young man’s mill is the only one in the district working three shifts a day—because hi s prices are cheaper and qualities better.

Mr. Redshaw had something to say about the generalization of most of our mills and the idle time involved in the changing-over of machinery, all of which spelt loss in efficiency and essentially higher prices for goods manufactured. Dr. Townend states that Mr. Redshaw’s “statement that by the installation of up-to-date machinery the mills would bo able to turn out woollen textiles of better and more even quality at cheaper cost is undoubtedly true with reference to certain plants,” and it must be obvious to the average reader that it was those plants which Mr. Redshaw had in mind when he made the observation as published by your reporter. As Mr. Redshaw was interviewed by an official representative of the Government also, and since he is a machinery manufacturer of world wide repute. one can only assume that our enterprising High Commissioner will set to it that he is further interviewed in due course and that the Dominion will profit by his advice in its present official campaign for greater industrial efficiency in general: and, iip this instance, in woollen manufacturing in particular.—l am, etc., • ADVANCE NEW ZEALAND. Wellington, March 10.