INDUSTRY IN N.Z.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1928, Page 4

INDUSTRY IN N.Z.

official review. WELLINGTON. Jan. 2. Brisk advancement among the principal branches of manufacture in the Dominion, as well as a tendency, with the increasing population, for greater diversity in the (branches covered, is indicated by the statistics for recent years, says the Government Statistician. Statistics in factory production were, collected in New Zealand from 1807 to 1910 in connexion with the" population Census, and commencing with tho year 1918-19 the collection has been an annual one. The establishments recorded in 192520 numbered 4791, an excess of 244 over the number recorded in the previous year. This increase is confined mainly to a few industries, the principal being: Motor engineering 82; butter, cheese, etc., making. 73; furni-ture-making, 25; engineering, 19; printing and publishing, 15; electric supply. 14; sawmilling, 11; concrete flock and fibrous plaster making, 11 ; and clothing ’manufacture. 10. A number of industries showed decreases, but the establishments that have gone out of existence appear to be of the smaller type.

It is not surprising to find the number of motor and cycle, printing, engineering. and wood ware establishments having their numbers swelled each year. These industries have been appropriately termed “neighbourhood” industries, and are usually found serving defined communities, each of which has its own motor garage. printing works, and joinery shop. It is a growing community, the tendency is for new establishments of these clauses to come into existence as against the expansion of those already in existence,.

The substantial increase in the- number of motor engineering establishments is the anticipated accompaniment to the phenomenal development of motor transport in the Dominion of recent years. The motor vehicle has now become established as the principal means of road transport, and with tho improvements effected to roads in recent, years, the number of motors I has increased enormously. Indeed, the importations of passenger vehicles, vans, trucks, lorries and motor-cycles, jumped front £4.5(57.490 in 1921 to £5.882,387 in 1925. The. latter year marks it record for motor importation. while the increase in the number Jof motor engineering establishments also constitutes a record. A marked upward tendency in activities in the furniture industry was reported for the year ended March 31st. 1920. The increasing use of the timepayment system has apparently increased sales, and reacted on production. with the result that additional labour and capital bare been attracted V) tbo industry, and several new establishments opened. Without taking into account the increase in the number of butter and eheese factories as recorded in 1925-26, the total figure for that year shows an abnormal increase over that for the previous year, and indicates unusual activity in the establishment of now factories. The number of industrial establishments in the provincial districts for 1922-26 showed a considerable increase ever previous years, and was as follows:—Auckland 1429, Hawke’s Bay 247. Taranaki 300. Wellington 1035. Marlborough 76, Nelson 147. Westland 129, Canterbury 694, Otago 463, Southland 27; total 4791. In point of numbers, Auckland claims the premier position, having nearly 400 more establishments than Wellington, which occupies a corresponding position in regard to Canterbury, with Otago over 200 behind Canterbury. The number of employees engaged in factories for the various categories for the Inst five years was as follows: 1921-22. 70,316; 1922-23, 73,662; 1923SI, 77,661; 1924-25, 80,327; 1925-26, 81,700. The number of employees engaged m the middle-sized factories tends to increase at a faster rate than those engaged in the smaller and larger-sized factories.