NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRY

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 237, 6 October 1932, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRY

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY. U INTERESTS ARE MUTUAL." SEARCH FOR NEW MARKETS. The necessity for a proper realisation of the mutual interests of those engaged in primary and secondary industries was stressed by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. R. Masters, when opening the annual conference of delegates .of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation in Wellington yee- 1 terday. The portfolio of Industries and Commerce, said Mr. Masters, embraced very wide duties, and duties which were largely misunderstood because there was an impression that the Department's operations were largely restricted to those of the secondary industries. That was not the case, and he had done his utmost to bring about the feeling that the interests of primary and secondary producers were in fact wrapped up together. (Applause.) The Prime Minister was generally regarded simply as a farmer, but lie could assure manufacturers that Mr. Forbes was taking a very keen interest in secondary industries,, also.

"My own interest," continued Mr. Masters, "js largely in the possibilities of overseas markets. I feel that with the great growth of primary production in this and every other country, the time has come . when New Zealand, has to launch out in the same manner as Australia and other countries with a view to finding new markets; otherwise we are going to be faced with the position of placing a greater volume of products into a country that is already overloaded, and the inevitable result of that must bo that prices of our products must come down, not only of our primary, but also of our secondary products."

Mr. Masters congratulated the manufacturers upon the good results achieved by their past activities. Aβ a result of their publicity in various ways, the salo of New Zealand-made goods had undoubtedly been stimulated, and the public had gained a realisation that the quality of New Zealand goods compared very favourably witli that of imported articles, with the consequence that the old prejudice was disappearing. Publicity had played a big part in'that, but of greater importance was the maintaining of high quality at a price which appealed to the public.

"The more we can develop our secondary industries the more satisfactory will the position in the Dominion become," continued Mr. Masters. "I can say personally that while it is very desirable to put people on the land, if every thousand pounds spent in putting men on the land was spent in developing secondary industries a greater amount of labour, I am sure, would be absorbed."'

In conclusion, the Minister urged that the manufacturers should maintain their organisation. There was no question that the organisation of primary producers at Ottawa had made the position of delegates stronger and had put them in a position of putting their views forward in the most effective manner. It was also very necessary that the manufacturers of the Dominion should have a complete and strong organisation.