TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1929, Page 3

TIMBER INDUSTRY

PUTTING THEIR HOUSE IN V(\ ORDER, j bni i?lh Vj_' ■ dniKii : OBJECT OF EFFICIENCY, BILL. TO !'■ b ; WELLINGTON, August 2. The reasons• whieji- induced the New Zealand Sawmillers’ Federation to oring the Timber Industrial Efficiency Bill before the House were explained by the suefsWVJ’ (jVTr-A\ fijupd) - in ■an address ; Econdnße sSociety last eveningy ‘jilttZ?-': Mr Seeej united; that thief (Bill had been based on the existing.- ; statutes, as. applied. the , cdrit'rpl: op' ipeat, dairying. ‘ffiwi^ »tdinjtriqs,", and the efficiept?regulation of, r dairy industry ' provicled. for, in The" Dairy Industries Act.

Protesting, at statements that, the Bill was anoflljpr instance of government interference in business,. Air, Seed said the Bill had. emahated solely from tin? representatives of the industry, and it was based, entirely i 01} their considered views—having the strictest regard to the welfare of the sawmilling industry, of those served thereby. AIMS OF THE MEASURE. “It has (been suggested by those whose interests are not identical with industrial development,” continued Air Seed, “that because it nui.v provide for some form of Government control, it is wholly opposed to tjie ppbli & interests: Tlie measliHejVaims ■ distinctly r..to acquire statutory' power foiVeontfol ■bur,solves, 'so far only.'as is necessary to effect greater efficiency in the sawmilling industry. The .power to so control would be absolutely in the hands of those engaged in the sawmilling industry. The decision as to whether the i Act, if passed, should even then operate, lies with a verv substantial majority of the sawmillers in the Dominion. Further, there is proinsion that, if so desired hv the industry, the Act shall’ become inoperative. following a ballot for so determining that question. What more effective ‘ means for security could he devised? MORE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS. In respect of the more immediate benefits that might ihe looked for as a result of the operations of tlie Timber Industrial Efficiency Bill, Mr Seed said the late Government had intimated That, if, sawmillers combined for efficiency in, the public interests, then all the remaining Crown timber and State would be treated as a reserve for the industry; thus affording greater security to capital and labour cmploved in the industry. Tt was further intimated that, conditional upon efficient organisation of the industrv. Government policy would be opposed to the introduction and use of <v»">Vv. timber — except for special purposes. Indirectly it would most probably r.eniove the menace of that senseless and disastrous competition, which was so often indulged in by those who, owing to their incompetence in respect of accountancy, went beyond all 'bounds in» their desire to secure volume of trade, regardless of values, ' and in the process of gaining wisdom, while Wnc others’ money, in addition to their own, plunged the indiistrv into those oftrecurring periods of depression'.

V. To those whom tlic industry served —the consumers, the users of the industry’s product—the Bill offered an assurance that their needs would bo satisfied in a manner hitherto not possible. . To those outside tlte pale of the industry—neither prbductqfs, distributors, nor users of tile industry’s products—whose interests were only served by a continuance of the commercial incompetence of industrialists, the Bill might conceivably sne! 1 disaster, concluded Mr Seed. 'Their influence would always be directed against any organisation that tended to industrial efficiency', and it , would' be: vain, to expect other than their opposition. Such opposition, however, 'merely 1 emphasised the greater need for industrial efficiency, and its vehemence marked the degree to which such opponents must ever fail to fill any useful part in a welloriov'fi community. There was a good attendance, at the lecture, including many interested in the timber industry'. After an interesting discussion, a vote of thanks . was passed to Mr Seed for his address.