NEW INDUSTRIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1938, Page 5

NEW INDUSTRIES

PLANS FOR ESTABLISHMENT IN NEW ZEALAND ! MINISTER’S HOPEFUL VIEW. EXPANSION OF TRADE WITH BRITAIN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Proposals for the establishment of seventeen possible new industries in New Zealand have been listed for examination by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon D. G. Sullivan). Consideration has still to be given to a number of these proposals. In addition to the promotion of new industries, the Government’s expansion plan involves the enlargement of existing secondary industries. In an interview, Mr Sullivan said there were inirty oranches of industry that could be expanded in one year, and another forty that could be enlarged in periods ranging from one to five years. Their expansion would depend on such factors as plant and equipment, the supply of skilled labour and the availability of materials. The Government’s aim in expanding industry was to provide a maximum of employment for New Zealanders and to ensure a complete utilisation of the country’s resources. Data had been collected to enable arrangements to be made with various industries, the Minister added, and a large part would be played in the new economy by the establishment of those new industries for which arrangements were now being considered. “A LOT OF WORK DONE.” “Of course these things cannot be achieved in five minutes,” Mr Sullivan said, “but a lot of work has been done for some time past in building the foundations on which the permanent structures will be reared. There is scope for beneficial action in each direction named, but there are also limits to what can be done. We import substantial volumes of such things, for instance, as petrol and tea, which we cannot import from the United Kingdom, but there will be scope for the importation of increased quantities of raw materials for our expanded domestic industries from the United Kingdom. This will be a large item of trade that will be worth while to Britain, whose New Zealand bondholders and traders will, I think, both benefit from the control steps recently taken.

THE IRON AND STEEL PROJECT.

“If we can get the iron and steel industry effectively established, that will be most vital of all, having regard to present importations and the ancillary industries that would be commenced following the establishment of the major industry.

“While we are preparing for the expansion of industry presaged by recent control measures,” concluded Mr Sullivan, “I am pleased to say the Government’s publicity campaign in favour of buying New Zealand goods is having a good effect. Many manufacturers are reporting a large extension of orders. I am grateful for the splendid support that, up to the present, has been accorded to that part of our efforts.”