HOUSE OF HEINZ

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 265, 30 January 1928, Page 14

HOUSE OF HEINZ

PRESIDENT ON TOUR AN INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRAT “We never give out the amount of our sales—quantity takes care of itself if the quality is all right.’ 1 Mr. Howard Heinz, president of H. J. Heinz Manufacturing Co., of Pittsburg, United States, who arrived by the Aorangi last evening, quietly refers to the excellence of his firm’s productions, but does not talk of figures. “You know we advertise that we produce 57 varieties,” he said with an engaging smile, and left it at that. He is a man of great personal charm and a much-travelled cosmopolitan, for he lives in Europe as well as in America. Mr. Heinz is head of the largest manufacturing business of its kind in the world. It employs over 12,000 people and has large factories in the United States, Canada, England and Spain. The founder of the business, Mr. H. J. Heinz, died nine years ago. He was a pioneer of industrial democracy and in the 59 years the firm has been established, it has never had a wage dispute or a strike. Thirty-five years ago the late Mr. Heinz placed a theatre in the middle of the factory so that the employees of the firm could enjoy music during the lunch hour. In the evening performances were also given. The founder of the firm established sewing and cooking classes for his girl employees. He organised a singing society, established free life insurance for his workers, and gave them a swimming pool, free dentists and a gymnasium. His whole object was to make his workers happy, for his theory was that happy people make the best workers. The ideas inaugurated by the late Mr. Heinz have been supported by the men who followed him, and in addition other benefits have been given the workers of the company. AFTER BIG FISH Mr. Howard Heinz knows the ways of the world. In his youth he learned his trade as a printer. He knows what work is, despite the fact that he is a millionaire. “This, my first trip to New Zealand and Australia, is one of combined business and pleasure,” he said on the Aorangi last evening. “I will return to the Dominion in March, when I hope to do some fishing at Russell. “It is with the greatest interest and pleasure that I visit this great young nation,” he remarked. “It seems to me that for your age and experience the people have made their experiments in Government in a way to establish permanent principle, rather than to go into radicalism, which can only be temporary. We in America have heard of your scenery and we are anxious to see it; also the sheep stations of which we have heard so much.” Mr. Heinz is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and he is particularly anxious to see the working of the Government-owned railways of New Zealand. During the voyage from Suva Mr. Heinz was interested to meet the Hon. Sir Maui Pomare, and was very interested in his stories of the Maoris and their customs.

During the war Mr. Heinz played

a big part in assisting the American military forces and their food supplies. One of the many positions he held during that time was DirectorGeneral of American Relief Administration for South-Eastern Europe and Asia Minor. He was educated at Pittsburg and graduated B.A. from Yale University in 1900.