N.Z. INDUSTRIES

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1932, Page 2

N.Z. INDUSTRIES

AN URGENT NEED.

STRESSER BY HON. R. MASTERS.

(Per Prkss Association — Copyright.) V/V*. 1 ’ ■■ >‘ . '* d STRATFORD,, November 7.

The urgent need for the display of more enterprise in New Zealand to-day was stressed by Hon. Masters at a banquet at Stratford to-night, when referring to the 'development of- worthwhile -industries in the Dominion. The Minis-; optimism and confidof industrialists, ih- ,? sections of the common* essential, there being no doubt a want oft confidence in ourselves and our resources. This hampered. and restricted industry to a dangerous degree. .The extent to which capital was frozen at the. present time might be the mutual result of the present'depression, but he believed the time had. are rived when there should be a loosening of purchasing and judicious spending.. “I know, officially, • of one concern, which desires to - invest half a million in the manufacture • of a certain article in New Zealand,” he said. “No emphasis is heeded to show, what a benefit it would be to have an additional a million of capital spent here in buying our electricity and giving work to our unemployment and producing at d cheap rate an article that . Is greatly needed. Such a concern needs encouragement, and, if necessary, it should be given a concession. I mention this to 'show that capital outside of New Zealand apparently has confidence in us.”

Emphasising his view that more enterprise, was required in New Zealand to-day, Mr Masters continued: “There is a real call for development, both of primary and secondary industries. We have just about reached the limit so f% as : depression and "pessimism are concerned, and I think we oan definitely look forward to better times. There is a limit t<r economy in excess as : either to tax beyond taxable value, which has ■ been proved in relation to.racing, postage, .customs duties,' etc. There is a|so a liipit to economy in excess in ' either taxation o r economy creates - hardship, which in turn, ; may create unemployipept;” r ■ 'H-, ■■■ ' - Referring to the : qctiyities /pf the. De-, velopment of Industries' Committee, Mr plasters said its recommendations’.’had been conveyed to the Government,; so that , necessary steps to modify' the legislation which acted restrictively to industrial progress might he * enacted, dr. hp.jy legislation desicmed to facilitate fhe progress of industry in desirable directions, might .be passed. .•'•..lnvests pation, = were being, made of hew industries which- might’be, started with, adyanfPhO tp the,Dominion, ■ and guidance would be. offered to the promoters. to ensure that thev would have fttl the conditions, scientific and 'technical j>roi perly arranged, and thus give fionew industries' a reasonable' chance jiff success. -A new system of helping present jndns+rifs end 'establishing pew '■one's. 1 in which effect, was being given;-td re-' cen,t developments hf allied science .had been adopted by mesns df the granting, of licenses. or of -affording protection'against internal competition for aj period. .f ■ ■■■■■■•■ - “Our first concern should be the use' of one hundred per cent. -New Zealand raw material by our secondary industries, and if that is not possible, then the utilisation pf British raw materia,!,” said the Minister, in describing the position of the secondary industries in the life of the Dominion, and the.measure of co-operation existing between them and the primary existing industries.. “This ',will siimulate the establishment' of new industries that are economically sound, and, will be the means of creating employment for our people. There are, of course, industries which require a certain amount of raw material obtainable only from foreign countries, hut in this connection care should be exercised to see that any industry using all foreign material should be able to compete with the imported manufactured article without recourse to excessively, high tariff protection.”

Mr Masters added that, in the past, an inferiority complex had existed concerning New Zealand-made goods and for the benefit of those who did not realise the value of the secondary industries to the Dominion, he made use of the following statistics applicable to the end of ,the last financial year • Persons engaged, 61,978; salaries and wages paid £11,643,514; cost of materials used, £16,989,309; added value. £22,259,297; value of products, £BO,248,606; value of land, buildings, plant and machinery, £26,260,730. Those figures did not include those relative to the factories connected with primary industries. He added; 'The 6ice]lehtcy of the products from our fociortts is beyond question, and T am pleased to say that there is definite evidence that the prejudice against, them i s gradually disappearing. This is largely the result of advertising campaigns, shows, exhibitions and radio talks, but by far the greatest factor is the quality of the goods themselves.”