LATEST FIGURES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 192, 15 August 1941, Page 3

LATEST FIGURES

DOMINION INDUSTRIES

RETAIL PRICE IXDEX UP (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Latest figures concerning the Dominion's manufacturing industries (for March 31, 1940> are contained in the annual report of the Department of Industries and Commerce, presented to the House of Representatives to-day. These returns showed that 0341 factories were in operation, representing an increase of 106 on the previous year. The number of employees increased from 102.538 to 105.722. Salaries and wages paid during 1939-40 at £24.460,549 showed an increase of £2.190,539. The cost of materials used in industry advanced by £9.597.226. and the total value of production increased by £14.614,400 to £129,061 .526.

Discussing manufacturing in the past year the Department reported that to some extent the quantity of goods produced had been conditioned. not by consumer demand, but by the adequacy of the supply of raw materials. The demand for domestically manufactured goods had shown' an increasing tendency, as tinder the operation of the Import Control Regulations similar lines of previously imported goods had become non-existent.

Manufacturers appeared to have received reasonable supplies of raw materials, although in some cases they had been inadequate to enable the" demand for finished goods to be fully met In some cases the reduced staffs now available would be unable to cope with greater quantities of raw materials.

"The success of price control in New Zealand can be gauged from the extent to which the retail price indexhas risen since the outbreak of war by 6.2 up to March 31," adds the report.

Comparable figures for other Empire countries were not available for later than December. 1940. when the increases shown since August. 1939, were:—New Zealand. 5.6 per cent; Australia. T.i percent: Canada. 7.2 per cent.: United Kingdom, 26 percent.