MARKED ADVANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20130, 27 December 1939, Page 8

MARKED ADVANCE

N.Z. MANUFACTURES —- INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION MANY NEW VENTURES INCREASED EMPLOYMENT U'#r Uress Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. “There is indisputable evidence that cur manufacturing industries have progressed to a very material extent in the past year. Reviewing the various reports one cannot but be impressed with tiie story of progress and development they reveal." said the Minister of Industries and Commerce. the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, today. “One firm engaged in the manufacture of radio sets increased production from 8000 to 16,000 and increased its staff by 40 in one month,” he said. The opinion was expressed that, the staff now totalling 143 would eventually reach 300. Fifty operatives found work in the manufacture of wallboard and. as eariy as February the district placement officer at Auckland advised "that he could place upwards of 1000 girls without difficulty. In the manufacture of rubber requisites for industry and surgical needs, 30 male and 20 fen rue workers had been given employment, added Mr. Sullivan. In the same factory the manufacture of cycle tyres had been undertaken as also a wide range of other products. New Activities Amongst other new activities undertaken in Auckland could be cited the manufacture of braces, caps, men’s clothing of all kinds, biscuits and confectionery, nuts, bolts and wood screws, patterns for shoemaking, children’s shoes and innumerable other commodities.

The production of hair wavers and other appliances was a means of finding work for some 30 workers, and other industries that were established included the manufacture of rag dolls, piston rings, wooden toys, koala and teddy bears, blind cords, art felts and fancy leather work The manufacture of sports shoes previously imported had also been undertaken and this applied to several other types of shoes In the Wellington area there had been a marked expansion in existing industries and several new ventures were to be undertaken. These included rug making, tile manufacture, soap and toilet preparations, flavouring essences, high grade stationery, dried fruit, beach sandals, plastic clay for modelling and clothes pegs.

In the Ilutt Valley upwards of 50 new factories had been erected or were in the course of construction. The manufacture of washing machines was also to be undertaken and one firm alone had produced 80 per cent of the country's requirements Allsteel prams, bakelite, plaster of paris, electrical utilities, screens for motion pictures, transformers, printers’ inks and many other lines have been produced in new factories or in extensions of existing industries. New Footwear Factories Several new footwear factories had been established in Christchurch, including one that turned out some 700 pairs of rubber-soled canvas shoes a day, added Mr. Sullivan. A very pleasing expansion of the footwear industry in Christchurch was the establishment of schools of instruction before the operatives were employed in factory work. • 'One manufacturer of interlock found it necessary to work throe shifts to meet the demand, and in the manufacture of farm implements an additional 50 employees had been engaged. The manufacture of carpet sweepers had been undertaken and consideration had been given to the possibility of manufactured pianos, homesoun tweeds and the clothing trades had shown remarkable advances. In Dunedin and the south the same story was revealed. Amongst the lines undertaken by manufacturers were the making of inks, soft toys, farina, starch and mustard, hockey sticks from Southland beech, waxed wrappers, rubber mats, snow skis, spoons and forks, and, in the canned fruit trade, the output had been trebled. “That, briefly, is something of what has been accomplished in the expansion of manufacturing in 'New Zealand and, in the aggregate, the number of persons who have secured remunerative employment must total several thousands more than ever before,” said the Minister. "The value of the output and the added value through the processing of raw materials will also show decided increases when the figures are released.”