“SUICIDAL POLICY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 162, 29 September 1927, Page 15

“SUICIDAL POLICY”

HEAVY IMPORTATIONS BUY N.Z.-MADE GOODS “At the present moment skilled tradesmen are seeking work while our factories and workshops are running short time, seeking for orders to increase their output. How is this output to be inereaied?” asked Mr. Albert Spercer at the annual meeting of the Auckland Employers’ Association to-day. ANSWERING his own query, he said: —"It certainly cannrt be increase! 3y impor ting goods at the rate of £1,000,000 every week, and If w.j still continue this suicidal policy w , ; looking for trouble. "Import less and manufacture more. Keep the wheels of industry moving and keep your own money circulatr.fi in New Zealand to the benefit of the whole community,” he advised. Until a few years ago primary production was responsible for this prosperity and is stili a big factor in producing for export something like £46 0-)0 0(1 worth a year. In addition * ' tbit there is approximately £2O MO, OOO of agricultural products ronn'umed in this country, reaching a XuStlal sum of £ 611,000,001 worth of primary production. "Vet with all this progression and i,-tivity there is in our midst, in our 'area cities especially, that evil—un-employment-which the people of New Zealand could easily mitigate by purc asir.g New Zealf nd-mada goods. reduction in staff “Unfortunately tome of our manufacturers in New Zealand are suffering f'-om The lack of support by the buying nubile of the country One large manufacturing firm employing over 900 hands has, owing to the lack of orders and fierce foreign competition, teen compelled to reduce its staff and v.orK short time. The particular roods manufactured by this Arm are equal in quality to anything imported ind in many cases quality for quality, are lower in price. "Last year about £2,900,000 worth of manufactured clothing was imported from abroad. This huge sum was spent in paying wages in another country. “If orders for ti e bulk of these imports could have been secured by our local manufacturers, they could have employed hundreds of extra bands and our mills could have worked full time. This is what is taking place in many of our secondary industries, proving 'he urgent necessity of every man, ■woman and child purchasing New Zea-and-made goods whenever possible.