FEDERATION'S REPLY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 164, 29 July 1937, Page 7

FEDERATION'S REPLY

j -Pre«» Association.)

" 1 1 ' "Now for Government to Admit the Facts"

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WELLINGTON, This Day. •'The New Zealand Manufacturers' Pederation appreciates the diffieulties of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan as Minister of Industries and Commerce in the period following the recent legislation, " said Mr Rocke O'Shea, general sccrecary of the feddration, replying to Mr Sullivan ''s statement, "We recognise chat he has the interests of New Zeaaind manufacturers at heart, and that xt is his desire to foster them to the utmost extent. " Notwitlistanding, industry is now in the unfortunate situation that the orakes have been put upon it by the higher costs reisullihg from the Government legislation. 'ino federation doplores that dts plain statement of the position should be eiassed as politioaJ actidn. it is now a matter for tlie Government to admit the facts, and take the urgent action neeessary to correct the position. "The manufacturing industries of New Zealand feel that all they can do is to make their present position known. The cases quoted in yesterday 's "Dominion" are typical of the general position. To-day the head of a large footwear 'fuctory cunie to the fedexation officos, and mhde the following statement:— " 'An English ehoo, of \vhich the warehouse price iu New Zealand wa? already known to the Department of industries and Commerce, was taken as an example. We made an identical shoe. We costed it ou the'basis of before the recent industrial legislation, and we costed it also under present eonditions, The new cost price was ftimost exactly as much above the English shoe as the old cost price was Undflr it. This ihformatioa whs given to tho Department of Industries and Commerce, and to the Customs Department. That was in response to tho department 's request for definite evi-'

dence as to the eifect of recent legislation. ""'We gave them several other instancos, where our travellers reported that ' customers, usually good buyers, did not buy any thing up to their usual requirements, and in some cases did not buy at all, informing our travellei'3 that they wSre importing instead. We supplied the department with the netual names of the customerfl.,, ■ " 'Our firm employs over 300 hands, and is recognised as one of the most efficient in the industry. Other manufacturers in this industry in various parts of the Dominion tell me that thev are being compelled to work short time_ and also to dispense with labour.' '*