N.Z. INDUSTRIES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 76, 22 December 1937, Page 6

N.Z. INDUSTRIES

-Press Association.)

Expansion of Production Builds Trade AUSTRALIA'S EXAMPLE

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The great future ahead of secondary industries in New Zealand and the building up of a larger national income and, consequently, a larger market for both local and imported products, were discussed by Mr L. Withal^ general secretary of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia, at a luncheon tendered to him by the Wellington Manufacturers' Association. "It is claimed by critics that the development of local manufacturing diminishes trade with customer pountries," said Mr With all , "but the bald truth is to the contrary. We need not mtvel far for evidence on that point. In New Zealand imports from Great Britain are £22,000,000 a year, the total ' imports being £44,000,000. Australian imports from the TJniteci Eingdom are roughly £50,000,000 and the total imports from all countries well over £100,000,000. "The iron logic of the position is that the more manufacturing industries are fostered in New Zealand, the greater spending population you will have, the larger your national income will beeome, and the bigger- the volume of overseas,, as well as mternal trade. For many years in Australia the farming community was opposed to a protective industrial poliey. Such opposition, however, no longer exists to any significant extent, for the primary producers have seen that a bigger home market for their products and better pri.ces have followed from industrial expansion. ' ' . Mr Withall said that public opinion toward, secondary industries in New Zealand and the problems of the manufacturer in relation to public opinion, were similar to those that obtained in Australia about 15 years ago, since when notable progress had been made. For that reason he hoped that an executive officer of the association would be able to pay a visit to Australia to study their industries and methods, and particularly the work of Chambers of Manufacturers in their relation to the turens.