INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1016, 5 July 1930, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS

GOVERNMENT INTEREST ASSURED MINISTER’S ADDRESS From Our Resident Reporter WELLINGTON, Today. “I can assure you of the Government’s interest in our manufacturing industries and of its wholehearted support of any sound, reasonable scheme for their future development and encouragement,” said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, when .-rpeaking at the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association luncheon yesterday. “I think the Government made its attitude clear last year when it pronounced the adoption of a definite policy in regard to the purchase of stores, a policy of giving preference to goods manufactured in New Zealand provided the quality, price and other factors relating to delivery are equal or approximately so.” The Minister complimented the federation on the work it was doing to encourage and develop the secondary industries of the Dominion. He remarked that the products of New Zealand industries could hardly be surpassed, with few exceptions, by similar commodities produced overseas. He was pleased to note that in many industries during the past year there had been a greater activity arc more persons employed than in the previous year. The total salaric*s and wages bill had increased by 125 per cent, to just over £ 17,000,000. the value of prc#ducts had increased by 6.20 per cent, to over £ 93.000,000, and the capital invested in the manufacturing industries was approximately £67.500.000.