RADIO SETS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1939, Page 6

RADIO SETS

MANUFACTURE IN DOMINION.

CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION ANTICIPATED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, This Day.

Confidence that, if the import control regulations remained in force, he would, within 12 months, be able to enlarge his factory to employ at least 100 additional hands, was expressed by the head of a radio manufacturing firm in Wellington yesterday. ‘‘Up till now,” he said, “New Zealand manufacturers have had 45 per cent of the radio market, and, if the import regulations are not merely a temporarly expedient, it seems safe to assume that they will in future have a much larger share.”

Local manufacturers had for some lime felt that they were in the position of a Cinderella among the secondary industries, because they had to compete for the market against English radio sets coming into the country duty free. Nevertheless, they had been able to survive, and this, they felt, showed that the industry was a sound one. They honestly believed that locallymade sets were more suited for New Zealand conditions than any imported ones; the greatest difficulty with which they had to contend was not the production of a good article at the right: price, but public prejudice. “It will probably be about six months before the effect of the restriction of imports is felt by manufacturers, but within 12 months I expect that our firm alone will be able to enlarge its factory to employ at least 100 additional hands,’ said the manager. “At present we employ 140 hands in our factory. where practically all radio parts are made; it is riot merely a matter of assembling imported parts.”

He added that, with the extention of business, the public would reap the benefit of reduced prices. There was ample protection against exploitation, in that there were 20 different manufacturers competing against each other in New Zealand.