CONTROL MEASURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 8

CONTROL MEASURE.

MINISTER'S ACTION. INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY. COMING OKDEB-IN-COUNCII.. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, tliis day. The first important step in organising industries under the extensive powers of the Industrial Efficiency Act will shortly take place, when the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, will gazette a series of New Zealand industries which will then be subject to clause 25 of the legislation. This applies only to such industries in respect to which the Minister gives notice in the Gazette, and those covered by its terms include any industrial process forming an integral part of that industry. After the procedure mentioned, no person shall, without the authority of the Bureau of Industries, commence to carry on any industry included in this category unless ho has given the bureau at least one month's notice of his intention so to do. Failure involves the penalties prescribed in the Act. Chemists to be Included. It is anticipated that, one of the most important industries to be included in the first list will be that of the chemists, the organisation of whose business has been the subject of a Parliamentary Select Committee investigation as the result of the fear of individual chemists that their businesses would eventually be destroyed through the competition ol chain stores. The committee recommended that the operations of large scale company pharmacies in New Zealand be not extended for a period oi six months —the report is dated June S —in order to enable existing chemists collectively to organise and plan tlieii operations, with the object of reducing the present scale of prices to the con sumer, while at the same time providing an adequate payment for services rendered. It is known that the chemists hav( been organising themselves, and if tlieii industry is brought within the scope o the Industrial Efficiency Act there woul< be statutory power to enforce anj approved scheme for economical ani efficient conduct of that service. Cut-throat Competition. There are other industries likely to bi included in the list with the object o encouraging development by the guaran tee that, once a manufacturing busines proves itself, the field cannot b invaded and the reward for pionce enterprise destroyed through cut-throa competition. It is understood that thi problem has already made its appearanc in the Dominion, but when the Act i fully in operation persons, who wish t enter an industry subject to its provi sions require- a license from the bureal which is required by the Statute to con sider, among other points: (a) Th efficiency of existing units of productio: and any proposals for new or improve! processes or products, (b) The financia resources, technical knowledge" and ex perience of the applicant, (c) The pre sent and potential output of establishe. units of production. The Bureau of Industries original! set up is in process of recoristitution i line with the new legislation, and th completed personnel will soon b announced by Mr. Sullivan.