STIPULATION OF INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1931, Page 5

STIPULATION OF INDUSTRY

PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. RE-ABSORPTION OF LABOUR THE AIM. WELLINGTON, June 19. The lion. S. G. "Smith; Minister of Labour (who is chairman of the Unemployment Board), to-day made a statement concerning the coming campaign on behalf of New Zealand-made goods. "• "The manufacturing industries of the 'Dominion,” said the Minister, “are experiencing the full effects of the depression in trade, and the consequent' lack of sales has resulted in the services of manv of the employees being dispensed with. The progressive increase in the number of unemployed is largely due to the tremendous decline iin the business transacted by these industries, and in un endeavour to reawaken fiphJic iulereU. ,ip. ipcalljMuade. products, and with the primary object of enabling the employees to get back to their special jobs, the Unemployment Board has recommended to the Government the advisability of instituting a publicity campaign to stimulate a demand for all New Zealand-marie goods. This interest in industrial progress is an integral part of the Unemployment Board’s functions, and the .Government cordially endorsed *he recommendation. “The question of financing the campaign,, which is estimated to cost £I2OO, was decided by the board agreeing to make available a sum of £BOO, on condition that the Manufacturers’ Association (thb members of which would benefit indirectly), contributed one-third (£400) of the total.

THE lOHiavF CONCERN. “This is not in any sense a grant to the Manufacturers’ Association, any more than the Unemployment Board's Subsidy under No. 2 scheme was a grant to householders, or the subsidy under schemes 4A and 4B was a grant to farmers,. The board's chief concern in these cases was to provide openings for unemployed men. and not to benefit the farmers. The campaign in the interests of the secondary industries is primarily a campaign t-o re-absorb the workers in those industries. The Government will handle both the funds and the campaign, through the Industries, Commerce and Publicity Department.

“Exception has been taken to the Unemployment Board's inauguration of this campaign, on the ground that •it is a diversion of the funds for the benefit of a particular class but no such charge was made when the board allocated approximately £70,000 apparently in the interests of the primary industries, but primarily to help the unemployed. “If by this means tbe demand for New Zealand-made goods can be stimulated and thousands of unemployed men and women and boys and girls are enabled to resume their former occupations, tffe beneficial effects of their employment will inevitably • spread to many other branches of trade and commerce.- Such a- consummation is most devoutly to be wished, and under the circumstances, it is expected that the campaign will be launched not only with the goodwill, but with the practical help of every section of the community.'’