Holds One Third of Dominion’s Factories

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 206, 19 November 1927, Page 16

Holds One Third of Dominion’s Factories

AUCKLAND’S TITLE MANUFACTURING PROVINCE A UCKLAN D can claim to be the • manufacturing as well as the butter province of New Zealand. The remarkable development of this part of the Dominion and the relatively important position which it holds can be more accurately gauged by statistics of its factories and output than by the total value of the production of primary industries, magnificent as that is. Not only are the factories of Auckland Province outstripping the rest of New Zealand in numbers and value of products, but statistics show that manufacturers are making strenuous efforts to reduce costs of production and improve factory practice, mindful of the ever-increasing gap between the standards maintained in New Zealand on one hand and the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe on the other hand. The interest of the consumer has not been overlooked for the trend of selling costs has been downward. A significant feature is the number of new industries among which that of electricity supply is the most important. The official statistics have been brought down to the end of March. 1926, and do not fully disclose the pres- j ent position, but they show that Auckland Province has almost one-third of the factories in the Dominion, that they pay rather more than one-third of the total wages bill of the country and that the total value of the goods manufactured is just one-third of the figures for the whole Dominion. Auckland. —Factories, 1,429; employees, 26,807; wages, £5,638,000; produce £28,020,000. Dominion.—Fctories, 4,790; employees, 81,649: wages, £16,866,000; products, £84,755,000. DAILY WAGE BILL, £IB,OOO The daily wages bill in the provincial factories is £IB,OOO, and they find employment for (in round figures), 22,300 men and 4,600 women. The industries that show encouraging growth are the motor and general engineering, printing, flax milling and electrical energy generation. The timber and boot industry have suffered a period of depression, but on the whole the figures reveal healthy progress, and with the population increasing it is natural to expect the establishment of more new industries and increasing turnover for the existing ones. REMITS TO CONFERENCE As the “manufacturing province,” Auckland can expect that the remits it sends to the conference of New Zealand manufacturers, which begins here on Monday, will be considered thoroughly. One of the most important remits from the Auckland Association is “That the Government be asked to set up a tariff board whose duty shall be to make inquiry and report to the Government on the general effect of the working of the customs tariff in relation to the primary and secondary industries of the Dominion.” Other trade proposals are: (a) That the percentage of British material and/or labour in articles qualifying for British preferential tariff be increased from 50 to 75 per cent. (b) That in all Government specifications for contracts and purchase of goods provision be made for New Zealand-made goods and that where British is specified the words New Zealand for preference be added. (c) That raw materials (whether British or foreign) required for the use of New Zealand manufacturers be admitted free of duty provided they are not produced in New Zealand. The association will suggest also that it is essential that a magazine for issue to manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers should be published by the federation.