The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929 AIDS TO PROSPERITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 833, 29 November 1929, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929 AIDS TO PROSPERITY

'THERE are five thousand manufacturing establishments in New * Zealand employing over 91,000 workers. These factories pay £17,000,000 a year in wages, produce manufactures to the gross value of £83.000,000, and add close on £33,000.000 to the value of raw material used in the various processes of skilled industrial expansion. Looked at in bulk that official record appears to be impressive and rich in cause for much satisfaction. In reality the condition of the manufacturing industries in this country is very unsatisfactory compared with the records of industrial expansion in the other Dominions. As the Department of Industries and Commerce noted in its latest report to Parliament, “it is regretted that, the department is unable to say of the manufacturing industries generally that they continue to show a steady and healthy development.” This regrettable condition lias been demonstrated expensively by the unparalleled increase of unemployment in recent years, the acute problem of apprenticeship, and the increasing lack of investment in industry. It lias been urged upon the Government, which is about as progressive as a promontory, that manufacturing industry could absorb a very much larger number of adults and young people, if stability could be provided. In order to secure desirable stability the Administration, during the past session of Parliament, decided to promote a thorough inquiry “with a view to ascertaining how the welfare of manufacturing industries could be promoted.” Unfortunately, there has been a marked delay on 1 lie part of the Government in giving effect to its promising decision. It is announced today, for example, that it is unlikely that the Industries and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives will begin its inquiries before February or March of next year. No doubt the members of Parliament concerned are entitled, after an exhausting session of talk with the irreducible minimum of work, to a reasonable spell of-recuperative rest, but in view of the gift of £IOO as a bonus, there should now be the greatest possible eagerness for opportunity to earn the money. There is ample scope for a useful investigation, even though inquiry were to be limited to the coal industry and its need of new methods of marketing', co-operation, and the development of a profitable system of coal carbonisation. But that is only one avenue for exploration. There is need of a much wider investigation, so that industrial enterprise* might regain its former buoyancy. But the outstanding necessity at the moment concerns the lack of skilled employment for the thousands of boys and girls who, after acquiring a sound education, must leave school to seek work in the industrial activities of their country. Everybody agrees that the prospects of these young people are lamentably poor, but nothing has been done by Parliament to increase opportunities for them by promoting an immediate extension of existing industries and the creation of new ones. It may not he prudent to imitate the follies of Australia in abusing tariff protection, but it would not be imprudent to adopt the Australian and Canadian principle of so adjusting protective tariffs as to bring new industries within the protected territory. Canada, in particular, has proved that it is more profitable to import capital and industrial enterprise than to increase her imports of manufactures from low-wage and sweated industrial centres in other countries. It has been recommended by the New Zealand Industries Department that a delegation should be sent overseas to study manufacturing industries and the reconditioning of industry on rational lines. The idea is a good one, but it ought to be noted that American industrialists actually are advocating, as a means of stabilising world conditions, the export of American efficiency, high wages policy, and mass production methods. Meanwhile, every effort should be made here to promote skilled industry, instead of depending on extravagant public expenditure on the temporary relief of unemployment. THE FIRST SHOTS AT HUTT POLLING day for the Hutt by-election is still three weeks off, * but the candidates are already showing signs of activity, and two of them have actually begun their campaign from the hustings. As the day of polling approaches it may reasonably be expected that more forces than the candidates and their personal auxiliaries will be in the field. The general election last November left New Zealand politics in a very uncertain position. But for the tendency of present-day politicians to place their tenure of their seats above the problematical benefits to be secured from displays of party defiance, there is no reason to believe that in such a delicately-balanced position the Parliament as now constituted would have even survived this year’s session. As it happened every manoeuvre by the parties in opposition was only carried to a certain stage. The importance of by-elections in the present circumstances is that, though tacit alliances may permit the parties to maintain their position while their strength remains as it is, any readjustment, even that involved by a change in only one constituency, may have a far-reaching bearing on the whole political situation. In the case of the Hutt seat, Mr. Wilford’s resignation to take over the High Commissionership presents the United Party with the distinct probability of the loss of a seat. It is true that Mr. Wilford, a staunch Liberal, has held it under the Liberal colours for a considerable number of years, but at recent elections his majorities have been impaired. Furthermore, there was a strong element of personal triumph in each of Mr.' Wilford’s successive victories. He is a popular and affable personality, always closed identified with his district. In such circumstances the removal of a man with such a hold on an important tactical position must undoubtedly have caused his party leaders some concern before a decision was finally made. The contest precipitated as a result has been simplified by the retirement of Mr. H. D. Bennett who, standing, as he had proposed to do. as an Independent, would have been an uncomfortable complication for the Reform Party. As things stand now, each of the parties is represented by a strong candidate, with Mr. Johnstone,, the Reform candidate, perhaps the strongest, if only by virtue of his position and attainments. Mr. Kerr, the United Party’s representative in what will unquestionably be a hardfought field, will command so many votes in the thickly-settled .part of the electorate —that is, in Petone—that he may be a distinct embarrassment to Labour. Nevertheless, in view of the steadv industrialisation of the electorate and his past performances against Mr. Wilford. Mr. Walter Nash, the Labour candidate, seems the "favourite” at this early stage.