CITY'S CLAIM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 89, 17 April 1939, Page 8

CITY'S CLAIM.

INDUSTRIAL CENTRE.

SHOULD BE EXPANDED.

MAYOR GIVES SUPPORT.

Auckland business men received the enthusiastic support of the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, this morning for their proposal to make a concerted effort to advertise the facilities and advantages of Auckland as a greater potential manufacturing centre.

Sir Ernest suggested the formation of an organisation to be known as the Auckland Industrial Development League, to be representative of local authorities and business interests. He asked that certain preliminary information be forwarded to him, and .then he would call a first meeting of interested parties. «

Some 60 business men, representative of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association and the Auckland Manufacturers' Association, waited ae a deputation on the Mayor this morning, and laid their views before him. Sir Ernest had also invited to be present the Mayors of Onehunga and Otahuhu, the chairmen of the Auckland Harbour Board and the Auckland Electric Power Board.

The speakers were Mr. A. Ely, president of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, president of the Employers' Association, Mr. H. W. Shove, president of the Manufacturers' Association, and Mr. S. J. Harbutt, chairman of the Power Board;

No Sources of Information. Mr. Ely said the position in his chamber was that people who wanted to start new industries in Auckland had no source of information, and he suggested that there should be published some brochure setting out exactly what amenities existed in the city. In view of the recent actions of the Government, it would Ims an advantage to the Government if industries were distributed as widely as possible.

Auckland had a good claim for greater industrialisation, inasmuch as the province contained one-third of the total population of the Dominion. There were us good facilities for securing labour as in any other towi*.

The matter was not one of politics. As individuals they were conscious that Auckland possessed great potentialities, but ae a community they had not done as much as they might to bring the fact before the notice of as many persons as possible.

He felt that the Mayor would use his best endeavours to forward the movement. Mr. AUum endorsed the views of Mr. Ely. He said that this movement was not one which could be adopted by any cne organisation without the risk of being misunderstood. It could, however, be fairly represented by a wider organisation that Auckland was a place well adapted for industrial purposes.

Advertising, Mr. Allum added, might bo done in overseas publications, while accurate information would be made available to anyone interested.

Auckland had grown to its present size, said Mr. Shove, almost entirely through having been selected by business men as a place to start their operations. It was not easy at present for private persons to etart new industries, and the facilities of Auckland should be impressed on the authorities. There were also many advantages for workers in the city.

Support by the Mayor. "I have given this matter a good deal of thought, and I have discussed it with tbe Government," the Mayor replied. He was pleased to take the opportunity to state that he would do all he could to assist. He suggested that it might be a good move to send a delegation abroad to England and America to sort out likely industries, and to publicise the advantages of Auckland. He then proposed the name for the organisation. If a committee were eet up he did not doubt that it would be easy to bring forward practical suggestions which could be implemented into activity. Hβ would recommend the whole suggestions favourably to the Auckland City Council, while" he would do his best in a private capacity. In reply to a question from Mr. Elv, he said he would bring the matter before the council on Thuredav.

Mr. Harbutt, invited to epeak on behalf of the Power Board, said his board would be heartily behind any scheme for the establishment of more manufactures. Rates for power at present charged for that purpose compared favourably with those in any part of the Dominion.