EFFICIENCY SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1941, Page 3

EFFICIENCY SCHEME.

FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY.

INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEE.

(P.A.) CHRISTCITU R CH. -nuidav,

The appointment of an industrial committee for the footwear industry under the Industrial Efficiency Act was announced to-day by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan.

Negotiations which had been taking place for some time between tives of footwear manufacturers and the Bureau of Industry with a view to the formulation and adoption of an industrial plan, as provided by the Act. were explained by the Minister.

The committee is the first industrial committee appointed tinder the Act in respect of a purely manufacturing industry. The members of the. committee are:—Representatives of the licensees. Messrs. E. G. Bridgens (Auckland). C. W. Coles (Auckland). .J. A. East (Christchurch). G. Z. Lindlcy (Dunodin); representatives of the employees. Messrs. C. A. Watts (Auckland). S. Ringrose (Dunodin): nominees of the Government. Messrs. L. J. McDonald, Wellington (secretary of the Xew Zealand Standards Institute, and member of the Bureau of Industry), and G. l-\ Grieve, Wellington (Labour Department).

Mr. Sullivan said it would be recalled that at the request of footwear manufacturers of the Dominion, submitted through the Xew Zealand Manufacturers' Federation, he had declared the footwear manufacturing industry to be subject to the licensing provisions of the Industrial Efficiency Act in September. 1039. Since that date a considerable number of meetings with representatives of the industry had been held, and toward the end of last year the final draft of a provisional industrial plan was formulated. Some of the matters on which the committee would be competent to make representations to the Bureau of Industry were as follow:—I he granting or declining of applications for licenses, and conditions to which licensees should be subject to the application of efficient methods of production and distribution: the encouragement of scientific research, and. it practicable, the institution of a research organisation within the indus-

try: the establishment of a basis for equitable competition within the industry: the formulation of standard specification-. standard trade descriptions and definitions: a survey of the industry. it desirable: the formulation of uniform methods for cost accounting and the preparation of statistics: the development of facilities and scheme?, tor training workers for employment in the industry: and the formulation of methods for improving the environment and amenities of premise-?, and for promoting schemes of social welfare in the

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